


Leverage

by ThePetiteFlutist



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Fantasy, post-avengers au, slow-building romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-19
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2017-12-05 19:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 216,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/727342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePetiteFlutist/pseuds/ThePetiteFlutist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stripped of his powers, Loki is sent to Midgard, a prison of its own sort, to await his final sentencing. However, the God of Mischief is not so easily obtainable. Roleplay-turned-Fanfic</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all! This is my first work I have published on here. I have been working on this with a friend of mine (met through Omegle xD) since November of 2012. We write from both POVs because it was originally an RP. We have worked on this almost every day and have dedicated quite a few hours to simply writing it and this has been the spawn of both of our imaginations. The username that this is posted under plays Loki, and then my friend (who is also part of this account) plays the Original Character, Luna. Let us know your thoughts!

Luna: Carrying an armful of groceries piled up in a simple paper bag, Luna maneuvered her other hand to a screen embedded in the wall next to the front door. It took several seconds, recognizing her fingerprints before revealing a slot on the door upon which keys were to be inserted – the keys to the two-story house that had become her temporary residence but a week ago. It was larger than her previous one; it was a rather plain, white house with dark grey shingles lining the roof. Entering the house, she was immediately in the living room; her eyes silently glided over the largest room in the place, coming to rest on the couch. She could see no more than the dark head that peeked above it, immobile, as silent as it had been since it arrived. She walked by, just as silently, wondering if there was any purpose at all to greeting him, for she knew that she would receive nothing in return.  


Two weeks ago, she had been called to meet with Nick Fury, concerning 'a matter of importance' – The Avengers War, as the public tended to call it, ended with their victory, and after some time, the man who had caused all the havoc and the riot had been returned to the Earth and put under S.H.I.E.L.D's custody. _Luna's_ custody, first and foremost, as she had discovered after speaking with director Fury, and ultimately, after a lengthy conversation, agreeing. Several days after their meeting, she was shown to the house which she now shared with Loki; Loki, on the other hand, spoke not a word to her since the very moment they laid eyes upon each other. Towering over her, staring down his straight nose at her as if she were but filth beneath his feet, he refused to acknowledge her presence, let alone say something to her. She attempted, now and then, to greet him, but after earning nothing but rejection time and time again, she gave up for the time being.

Loki: Loki never exactly saw this coming. After all of the scenarios had been mapped in his head upon his forced return to Asgard, he had a few practical punishments set in his head: imprisonment, torture, death, exile... It all amounted to an inevitable descent of his power. He had prepared himself for the worst as, gagged and bound, he looked into the cold, blue eye of Odin, awaiting to hear his punishment. Loki could see him now even when he closed his eyes – the Allfather rising from his golden throne, stepping down with Gungnir in hand, after weeks of Loki's waiting within another cage, the mighty Thor and the innocent Frigga off to each side of him, standing with a distant gleam in their eyes. Gungnir was lowered and Loki could simply feel the draining in his bones, his muscles reacting as he collapsed-  


He snapped out of it, finding the very pathetic woman who was to be his "jailer" for the time being coming into the house with a loud crunching sound, indicating that she had some sort of sack in her arms. He looked up slightly from the book he had in his lap but truly had not been reading. He looked to what seemed to be an unkempt Midgardian furnace, his eyes distant, and his body unmoving. He was tired, if anything, as that seemed to be the only thing he could feel, besides perhaps hatred and loathing of those who were well on their way to destroy him, as he had tried to destroy them.  
He was stuck on this filthy rock called a realm until further notice. The realm that he had tried to subjugate was now trying to subjugate him. It was almost laughable, really… He would laugh if he was not being watched, truly. It was also quite comical that the group of idiotic humans who believed they could cage him thought that a puny mortal woman would be an effective jailer. She tried speaking to him now and again, but he would have none of her silly attempts. He wasn't amused.

Luna: She could not help but look periodically over her shoulder as she arranged the groceries up in the cupboards or in the refrigerator. Despite being informed that Loki has neither the power nor the energy to try and harm her – there would be massively heavy consequences even for an attempt at her life – she did not feel safe enough to keep her back turned to him for any longer than needed. Regardless of his magical powers – which Luna still had much trouble believing in, though she had seen it with her own eyes – lacking, he still had the upper hand concerning sheer physical superiority to her. So, she was having second thoughts with her agreement. Granted, he had not done anything to her since his arrival, he acted as if she was not even existent, but that did not stop her from occasionally checking to see where he was and what he was doing. She knew that she was relatively safe, but after having seen the extent to which this man could go, the things he was able and willing to do... It made her wary.

Loki: Loki could all but feel the mortal's eyes on him, the way she paused every time he heard her place something onto a shelf in what the Midgardians called a "kitchen" (though he found it a poor excuse of one). She had been watching him every time he was in her line of vision – and even when he was not. He could almost smell the fear on the girl, and that, too, was laughable. If he attacked and killed the girl, where would he even go? He had not figured out the means by which he had been "caged" into this mortal abode, he could run and fend off any who got in his path, but where would he go, anyway? There was nowhere to run or hide without his magic to place him elsewhere, anywhere, but where he was. It was maddening.

Luna: She wondered every so often why Fury had elected her, of all the more physically apt and capable people on disposal. As she could not pinpoint the reason, for she did not know Loki beyond that which she has seen of him, she decided that Fury must have had one good enough, otherwise he would not have done it in the first place. As she finished storing away the groceries, she pondered about the fact that the brooding man had refused food ever since he came. She was unsure whether he did it out of some sort of spite or stubbornness, or if he simply did not like that which she prepared… All she knew was that his share of the food always remained intact, and it made her wonder just how long he could go without it. She did not know very much of his kind, for she was unaware of its existence up until he laid siege to Puente Antiguo and thus revealed a whole myriad of things to her world; therefore, she did not know how long he could survive without proper nourishment, or if he even needed it to begin with. She knew that Fury did not cage her together with him so that they could sit in the same house and be silent, which meant that she would have to find a way to get him to speak to her, one step at a time. She took two cold bottles of water from the refrigerator and made her soft-stepped way to the living room. It was a decent house, she thought, plenty of room for the both of them, with the living room a great space, with a lovely fireplace that she would enjoy spending time in front of a little more if he didn't feel the same way and occupied the area more often. She approached the couch he was sitting on, placing one of the bottles next to him without a word.

Loki: He frowned when he could hear her stepping closer to him, placing what looked to be a Midgardian container of water next to where he sat. He looked down, his eyes narrowed and distant as he looked down upon the book on his lap when she stepped closer. He watched the container roll in his direction, landing against his thigh. He only picked it up and then placed it onto the coffee table which lay in front of him, picking up his book and resuming to "read" it, though it hardly held any interest for him. It was about some poor child living in a city who had no parents and was taken in by a thief... Midgardian literature, he scoffed inwardly.

Luna: Her lips tightened ever so slightly at his refusal to drink, as well, but she decided to not pay it any heed. She glanced at the book that he was holding, and thought that it was as good an excuse to try and begin a conversation as any. She sat herself upon one of the armchairs, folding her legs beneath her as she played with the bottle cap, her eyes on him. "The books they placed in this house… It would have been better if they just left the shelves empty." she said with slight disappointment, her voice quiet, though very clearly heard in the now-broken silence of the room.

Loki: He made a noise – a cross between a grunt and "hmm" – and continued looking only at his book. The mortal had been trying to strike up conversation with him for the past week and none of her attempts were fruitful. Especially not now. He turned the page, though he had been staring at the same one for the past hour or so. He was nearing the end of the book, anyway. The purpose it held to him was only to cease having his mind so very idle all the time, and it somewhat held to that purpose to an extent. She sounded disappointed, as well, but he could not care less. Perhaps she would get so very bored that she simply would give up and send him to a true prison. He could only hope...

Luna: Even a grunt was progress, she thought to herself, as it was more than he'd given her in days. She saw that there would be no speaking of books, not today. "Pardon me for asking, but do you eat? At all?" she inquired gently, though she could tell by the stubborn set to his brow that she might not get a response to this, either. An answer would be useful, however, for if he was starving himself, it would be something to report. Then again, what they called him, what she has read about him, the Liesmith was in no way obliged to be frank with her in any way. Still, she decided that any response would be good.

Loki: He was nearly past due to eat, he realized when she mentioned it... He should, indeed, eat something, as he did not want to be entirely useless and tired. His muscles ached and he could feel sleep wishing to pull him under, but he downright refused to give in. He was vulnerable enough. It was no matter to her, anyway. He simply pressed his lips together and turned the page... Too soon, he thought, scolding himself. It was now more obvious that he was not reading the book at all.

Luna: She resisted the urge to sigh, as his behavior was getting quite exasperating. It was like trying to coax an overly stubborn child, although in this case, the situation bore far more danger, and she had to be careful with her treating. She shifted her weight slightly; she knew that he must eat, as she knew that Thor did, as well, so why wouldn't he? "Strange of you to not use the one power you have." she said, lowering her voice.

Loki: He glared, rolling his eyes as he shut his book rather abruptly, figuring it would be pointless to even try to read with her continuing to insist upon bothering him. He rose from his seat on the couch to walk back to the bookshelves and place it onto the one he had grabbed it from. He assumed all the other books would be of no use, either. Agitated, he walked back to the couch, sitting the furthest away from her as possible. The ridiculous mortal girl needed to calm her tongue, otherwise the response she had been pressing for would not be one she wanted.

Luna: "You giving me a simple answer to my simple question will make no difference to the state of matters. Humor me, please? Be it a nod or whichever..." she persevered, noting in the back of her mind how far away he sat from her. At least that was comforting, that he did not wish to be near her as much as she did not wish to be near him. It was enough for her to feel just a little bit less threatened.

Loki: His green eyes narrowed to thin slits as he looked back at her, his hands clenching into fists. Perhaps if he responded to her pressing questions she would finally walk away and leave him alone. "Yes, I eat." he replied bitterly, knowing that she would ultimately cease speaking to him, "And I prefer silence." he said in a low voice before looking back to the emptied furnace before him. That was not true, he did enjoy speaking. But not with one who hardly deserved to be humored. He won't make company with a human girl.

Luna: She nodded, finally hearing his voice, for which she was glad, even though it bore within it such hatred; she never knew one could push so much resentment in so few words. He ate, which naturally meant that he would get hungry, at some point, which in turn made her decide to keep preparing the food and leaving it for him, just in case. She would not force him to eat, as it was his own health in question, though she was unsure whether he would purposefully debilitate himself until he died or something similar... She would not put it past him. However, she would not make him eat with her, either, if that was one of the reasons for his constant refusals. "Thank you." she said, resigning.

Loki: He was glad she sounded as though she was letting it be, not going to press him for any further conversation. If such blunt responses would silence her, he supposed he would employ such a tactic. He would need to eat, yes, but she had always been around the kitchen whenever he smelled the strange scent of Midgardian food being cooked, and that would only annoy him. He did not need to eat as often as she did – three times a day – and he never felt the need to. He gave another quiet grunt and then nestled himself deeper into the couch, his head staring upwards to the ceiling.

Luna: After several moments of continuing silence, she rose, making her way over to the just as silent fireplace, empty and waiting for a fire to be awoken. She crouched by it, turning her back to Loki and instantly feeling as if he could pounce at any time that she was not looking. She focused, however, on starting the fire, more so to give her something to do than because it was cold. The night had fallen while she was still in the supermarket, and nights got quite chilly, and though she did not mind it enough to seek warmth from fire, she enjoyed the sounds the wood made as it snapped and crackled, and the way shadows would move in rhythm with the flames... Once she started it, she did not move back to the chair – instead, she sat on the ground, though turning so she was facing him sideways, tucking several strands of her hair behind an ear. She had very little to do around the house – it was meticulously clean, and she was yet to bring some of her own books here to keep her entertained. It might be a little more bearable to live here, if he spoke with her. Then again, that was not a guarantee, either, for she knew that what he had to say might be even less pleasant than the silence.

Loki: He watched as she attempted to start a fire, his head ridden with quiet contemplation. Silence was unbearable, he decided. It made it seem as though he were truly alone in a prison rather than it being shared with this little mortal woman who did everything in her power in order to do what she was asked to do, despite the looks he gave her, despite how many times he grit his teeth in her presence. She could just ignore his existence like he ignored hers. It would make matters more bearable for them both. But the shifty looks she gave him so frequently, he could tell that was never going to happen.

Luna: She attempted to take the silence as it was something natural, something normal and easy, but she could not. It was not one of the silences where the two did not have to speak, where they could merely think and be with their own minds, pleasant, light... No, this was, at least in her case, filled with discomfort and unease, to the point where she almost felt pressured to make any sort of talk, any at all, simply so that there would not be the tenseness in the silence. However, she retained her quietness, keeping her mouth shut and trying, instead, to focus her gaze upon the fire, and not on him.

Loki: He could almost feel the discomfort radiating off of the girl, the way she shifted, her hands unable to find a place to rest, the way she poked at the fire whenever she shifted uncomfortably, her lips set into a straight line. He paid no mind to it. He was uncomfortable, not desperate. He doubted he would find a decent conversation with her, anyway, but he decided to watch her just as she watched him, studying her, tracking her... Reading her.

Luna: The gaze that she held upon the fire got harder as she felt his eyes upon her. She hoped that she was imagining it, but after several seconds, she was one hundred percent certain that she was not. It was as if his gaze came from all sides, leaving her no place from which she could seek shelter. She felt very much so out in the open, like a sitting duck... She closed her eyes and drew in a sigh. "Admirable.." she murmured.

Loki: He furrowed his brow, thinking of all the possible meanings as to why she would say that. He dismissed it easily, his eyes narrowing as he continued to watch her rather than the fire that glowed throughout the room, casting shadows along the walls. She would feel whatever he felt while she was watching him. It only made sense, he thought.

Luna: At least he was entertained, she thought bitterly, shifting to lay down flat on her back on the ground, cradling her head on her folded arms as she looked at the fire. Her eyes would hurt from this, she knew, and she would most likely have spots dancing in front of her eyes after it... After several more moments, she took her gaze away and placed it, instead, on him. She knew she would meet his eyes, and so she did, maintaining her stare, her face blank. It made her just the slightest bit uncomfortable, and she couldn't decide whether it was more or less so than when she couldn't see him staring at her. She dismissed the feeling of competitiveness at once, knowing that she would be bested. She stared simply to stare, taking in his features closely.

Loki: His eyes narrowed considerably when she began to stare back. It was as if everything was a challenge to her – to see if he would crack. He pressed his lips tightly into a deep frown as he settled his eyes elsewhere for a moment, not enjoying staring at her eyes, as she seemed to stare directly into him. The silly mortal was trying to make him do something he did not wish to do, he could sense it. She would lose, he knew, but it did not irk him any less that she would even bother. Perhaps she was required to bother, he thought... Perhaps this was more of the Allfather's ploy to have him repent. This only bothered him more so and he continued staring back, waiting for her to look away... If she would look away. He most certainly would not.

Luna: She did not look only at his eyes; they unnerved her, and so she found temporary relief in looking at his other facial features long enough until she could return it to his eyes, recomposed. She took in his brows, of as dark a hue as his hair, his straight nose down which he enjoyed staring at her, his thin lips, now pressed into a line that ever so slowly drew lower, clear signs of his not appreciating her staring - it almost made her cease, concerned about a line she may or may not cross, and the consequences - his sunken cheeks and prominent cheekbones, a narrow jawline and the greenest pair of eyes, bearing so many things that she could not discern, making it all the same even if he held nothing in them.

Loki: He could feel her studying him, her eyes not always meeting with his, and they wandered elsewhere. He shifted once more, his arms crossing over his chest as he breathed in a sigh. The puny mortal would not seem to cease, either, no matter how coldly he glared at her, no matter how much he frowned, her eyes would not cease wandering over his features. He made another noise, shifting in his seat. "Is staring not considered rude here?" he muttered, reluctantly giving in to the fact that the silence was overbearing.

Luna: She restrained herself from smiling when she heard him speak. "You're assuming that I'm not rude." she said, just as quietly, not shifting a muscle. There were dark circles around his eyes, she noticed then, telltale signs of fatigue and weariness.

Loki: He blinked a few times, his frown remaining drawn upon his face. "Very well." he spat, rolling his eyes. How dare the girl speak to him as such? "I do not believe I came here to be gazed upon, as you so very often do. It would suit you well to learn manners."

Luna: "We come from different places, our views of manners might not match." she said, doing her best to ignore all of his jabs. It would not do them well if the first time they spoke, they had a dispute. "If I am to learn some of your manners, then you are to learn some of mine, I suppose. I'd rather meet you halfway." she said. "Besides, you stared back, crushing manners as easily as I did."

Loki: He glared. "You have been staring since I have arrived." he replied evenly, firm in ignoring her accusations of his lack of "manners", though he knew the girl would hardly know what manners were. Mortals had a lack of respect for any sort of higher being, he figured, as they were stubborn enough to be not considered as lowly and useless. "I'd say I hardly surpass your rudeness." he added.

Luna: But he responded to nothing but it, she thought to herself, choosing to keep that observation to herself, as he would use it and recoil even further. Perhaps that was how she needed to behave, in order to get him to speak to her more often, thus opening a chance for her to continue speaking to him in a manner more civilized. He spoke of her rudeness and yet he set New York City aflame... That thought reminded her to still keep cautious, and remember to whom she was speaking. "My apologies, in that case." she said, earnest in her voice. "I'm not of Asgard," the word sounded so odd on her tongue, using it as a factual place, not a mere myth or a tale. "and I do not know your manners. If you taught me them, then I could act accordingly."

Loki: His lips twisted into a rueful smirk, thinking of all of the things he could say to respond to her statement... How he had tried to teach Midgardians such things as "manners", but they were so rude as to ignore him, how she could not have possibly deserved to know such things. No, he would not grace her with yet another response, so he tapped his fingers against his arm, his eyes leaving her and going back to the glowing flames of the fire. He quite enjoyed watching fire sometimes... The way the tendrils of heat would rise up and lap at the air surrounding it, the way it would engulf the wood entirely, the way it would burn in to such different colors. It was quite an alluring sight.

Luna: She, too, fell silent, hoping that this conversation, however brief, managed to take away some of the weight of the silence. She wished to provoke him back into speaking, while it was still relatively possible, but she thought it wiser to take it slowly, so as to not anger him or risk anything, including her own safety. There was a contrast in her head as she tried to connect the man who had damaged so many people, so many buildings, such a vast city, the man who had killed and hurt and attempted to take over... To the weary looking man sitting right in front of her, looking almost broken down, lacking the desire for just about anything, choosing to retain his silence when he knew very well he could most likely use his words skillfully against her...

Loki: He was glad she continued to keep her silence, knowing she would only continue to remain so for so long. But he would bask in it for as long as he could. Why was she here, anyway? Did she lose some sort of privilege that she had to be punished as well? So therefore she remained here, with him, waiting until he would elicit some sort of response they were looking for, so they could just proceed and lock him up further... He wondered which one he would prefer – the cylindrical cell he had escaped or this odd abode that Midgardians called a home? He could not honestly give an answer, but it did not matter… He was powerless where he was now, not as much in his previous containment. He could have escaped easily then.

Luna: Her eyes traveled over to him once more for a brief moment before she looked away again. She wondered what was on his mind, what thoughts whirred that made it easier for him to bear the silence and prolong it as much as he did. Then again, taking into consideration who he was, perhaps it was better if she did not know the contents of his mind, however curious she was. One of her hands slowly extended towards the fire, lingering just shy of pain. "A delightful thing, fire.." she said in a low voice, not expecting him to say anything, not even wishing him to; she knew he would inevitably hear and that was enough for the time being. "It has a potential for both good and bad, depending on how it is viewed. But its form does not change, regardless - it is fire and only that." she murmured, gently moving her fingers above the flames. "There are always those eager to blame the fire for their own imbecility. They will claim they were hurt, unjustly, but was it not them reaching too close? Breaking that boundary where the gentle warmth turns into the searing pain?" she said, her words carrying her attention away enough that she nearly burned herself. She blinked, as if coming out of a reverie and scooting further away from the fire. It was much too hot.

Loki: He blinked a few times, listening to her words, although it looked as though he did not give a fleeting thought to what she had said. She was speaking without any sort of restraint, not expecting any sort of response from him, but using her voice to fill in the blank spaces he would continue to leave for her. Yet he did not expect he would be locked away with such a poet, a different sort of weaver of words. What she said would spark a thought or two from him – the opposing properties to fire was truly a deep thought to behold, especially in a time like this. He did not expect that from her, but he truly did not know the girl besides her reactions to him. He did not truly know of her amount of intelligence, only from what he could gather by his observations. "Thoughtful." he muttered, his voice not betraying any other emotion or tone, simply a statement of his response to her words.

Luna: She stretched over to her armchair to fetch the bottle of water she'd left there; being in such close proximity to fire for any longer period of time left her throat parched, and her skin crawling with unnecessary heat. She was warm enough as it was, and the coldness of the bottle felt so soothing against the palm of her hand, and even better once the chilled water refreshed her dry mouth. She sat even further away from it, holding the bottle in her hands. "It happens..." she murmured gently.

Loki: He watched her, even moving in the slightest way so she was not sitting so very close to the fire. He was growing uncomfortable himself, never being one for such strong warmth, but there were times that he did not mind it as much – this rarity of a time being one of them. He continued watching the leaping flames, his strong, emerald eyes almost watering from the brightness, in contrast to the darkening room, but he paid no attention. He sat comfortably back into the couch.

Luna: She leaned her back against the armchair, taking a small cushion from it and hugging it to her, placing her chin atop it and looking interchangeably from the fire to him and back. Would she be bold enough to continue speaking to him? Her luck seemed to be striking tonight, and perhaps one more attempt would not do harm... "The fire... It claimed much of New York City." she murmured tentatively. "You gave it a chance to realize part of its potential.."

Loki: He blinked a few times, as he should have realized where this was going when she spoke of fire. She was trying to elicit a response from him, he knew, some sort of pity from him, some way to appeal to his humanity. She was not successful, and he would make sure she would continue to not be. "So I did." he replied indifferently, "But as you said, it has a potential for both good and bad." He replied quietly, "Can you blame the fire, really? Perhaps it was your own imbecility."

Luna: She did not intend for the conversation to go in this direction, for it was quite a delicate one that would be best left alone. "I cannot blame the fire, no, it is not its fault for being created. It only did what it is natural for it – it knows no other way." she said, leaving it at that. She did not blame the fire, she blamed the person who started it in the first place. Our own imbecility? she thought to herself, slightly puzzled. Perhaps he alluded to their unwillingness to break their backs for him and submit, thus being the ones to blame for the destruction brought upon them? An odd way of thinking...

Loki: "Perhaps there was no other way." he pressed, his brows knitting together as he challenged her, "It had to be created. And upon its creation, it could bring about good and bad." He explained, further emphasizing his point from before that she did not entirely catch on to. "With the intentions of both, can you truly blame its creation?" He asked, his lips curling into a frown.

Luna: She shook her head slightly, thoughts and retorts forming already in her mind, ready for her to expel them. However, she did not think it wise to continue down this path, for it could very well lead to disagreements, and then even further on into things she would prefer to avoid, at all costs. She was in mild disbelief, though, for he spoke so freely now - she should have expected that the only thing he would choose to willingly talk about was his plan and its righteousness, his perspective and how utterly proper it was, how they would all see if they tried... She kept silent, looking at him slightly. "No." was the sole word that escaped her.

Loki: He smirked, "Are my arguments too much for you?" He pressed, his tone almost amused at her utmost rejection of anything he was, wishing to bother her as much as he can now. Yes, it may have him in more trouble than he'd like to say, but at least it would ultimately entertain him. "You admire fire so very much, but you do not seem to realize that fire is equivalent to more than you may realize." he added, his smirk wavering, as he met her gaze, "You are merely blinded."

Luna: She met his eyes, hers soft and truly unwilling to argue with him; even if, on the slim chance that they would not argue, it was still a topic that would take plenty out of her. She did not know the man well enough, but if this was something he would do often - refuse to speak and when finally coaxed into it, speak of one of the most difficult, complicated matters he could find... Granted, there was nothing complicated in it for him, as he had the idea deeply etched into his mind, knowing exactly what he wanted, but the topic was heavy on its own, and Luna would not discuss it. "Perhaps if you were gentler in removing the blindfold.." she murmured reluctantly.

Loki: He scoffed, looking away from her eyes as she met them. The ridiculous mortal did not know what she was talking about. He glanced back into the flames, his tired, heavy-lidded eyes reflecting the firelight. "That is not so easy." He replied, his voice heavy. He gave an audible sigh as he leaned farther back into the couch, stretching his limbs like a fatigued cat.

Luna: She wished to continue letting him speak, but the topic was a minefield that she did not yet feel adequate enough to try and cross. "If you say so..." she said resignedly, burrowing her face into the soft cushion for several moments as she pondered about a topic that might have him speak, but that would not be as difficult. She rose her head again, settling her eyes upon him. "There are tales of you from the 13th century." she began in a lighter tone. "Have you read them?"

Loki: He arched a brow, the ghost of a smirk on his lips at her mentioning the tales of Midgard about him. Of course he had read them... He was curious. They were not completely accurate, especially considering he had never been impregnated – that was a twisted rumor spread by the Warriors Three upon his fascination with a horse that had been gifted to him for his coming of age. He took a liking easily to the creature, and he ended up being the bottom of a cruel joke. He never found out how such a thing came to Midgard, anyway... He grimaced at the memory. "I have." he replied simply.

Luna: "Not to your liking, then?" she pressed gently, brushing her fingers along the cushion as she attempted to egg him on to saying more. "The translations we have today, they're not entirely accurate. There are many words yet that people have not deciphered; not to mention the fact that the copies of the texts changed time and time again... Who knows what they've been like in their original forms. Not all is true, then, I assume?" the tone of her voice was questioning.

Loki: He nodded, "You assumed correctly." he muttered. He had read several versions of what had been written, and he knew they had very few distinct and concrete details that made him who he was that were in the slightest bit correct. "Very little is true." he added dryly. She was trying to get him to speak, and speak he did. But he would not expose himself to her, as that was what her idiotic human organization was pining after. He would not be an easy subject, nor would he be an item of study.

Luna: "Well, most do take it for simple works of fiction, after all..." she said, not minding providing the majority of the conversation, even if he continued with such short replies - it was better than nothing - piece by piece she would collect. "I have read the majority of it as part of my studies." she admitted, giving him a tiny piece, as well. "Though, having only been written down in the 13th century and having been thought of much earlier before that, you are nowhere near new." she leaned in slightly towards him, now genuinely interested, for her own sake, rather than anything else. "How old are you, if I may be so rude to ask?"

Loki: He crossed his arms across his chest as he listened to her go on and on about the fact that she had researched him by the literature that the Midgardians had written. Only a mortal would believe it rude to ask of age, he thought with a smirk. They had such short lifespans that old age would come upon them so very quickly. He had to consider the question, converting the time he knew he has spent alive and putting it into Midgardian years – it took slight effort to consider. "Nearly 1100 Midgardian years," he replied shortly after a moment of silence as he gathered what little information he could have regarding his lifespan.

Luna: She blinked, her eyebrows drawing together. Over a thousand years old? She was dumbfounded... Her mortal mind could not even begin to grasp the possibility that one's lifespan extended for such a length of time; she could comprehend such an amount of time, but to come to terms with the fact that someone had been alive for that long? Someone's existence, so permanent, as opposed to many, many things that have come and gone, only temporary, only momentarily... And he, he had been there through it all. Not necessarily on Earth, granted, but he had been existent. "Huh." she said dumbly. "I'm only twenty-five..." she shook her head in incredulity.

Loki: He furrowed his brow, glancing at her by the corners of his eyes. She was so very young, so very small. When he was such an age, he was an infant... Quite possibly an infant being taken by the Allfather after the Ice War, but it was still something he had never understood. Such short lives, he mused. "I suppose I am approximately that age if I were mortal. Give or take a few physical years."

Luna: "You do look it, I suppose." she said slowly, her eyes gliding over him; indeed, give or take. His words still echoed in her head as she tried to wrestle with the disbelief and come to terms with the fact that the man sitting in front of her was not in his twenties, or thirties, but that he was well on his way to three thousand years old. She gazed at him in curiosity now; with such an age came endless, innumerable experiences and knowledge... Any normal human being, by the time they grew older, accumulated quite a bit of experience and had learned much through out the years... To think of all the things that hemust have seen and lived. She scooted closer by just an inch, dragged by many questions that she now had roaming through her head. "How much you must know.." she said, admittedly respectfully.

Loki: He noticed her impending proximity, seeing that every time she spoke she would scoot closer to him. He grimaced and then shifted so that he was closer to the edge of the couch, rather than anywhere near her. It was an odd thing, what she was trying to accomplish here. She was not pressing questions about what he had done, or why he did it. If she was trying to interrogate him, it was quite subtle, but he could sense (as his senses were almost always correct) that she pressed these questions simply out of curiosity. He was, indeed, young for his own time. There were many others who lived far, far longer than he has. It was odd that she was marveling over how wise he must be based upon his lifespan, but at the same time her race rejected knowledge that far surpasses their own. He made another odd noise, sitting almost so that his back was to her.

Luna: His small, but very much so deliberate movements made her recoil, as well. She was hardly aware of her own motions, but now that he has reacted to it, she realized. An amusing thought came to her mind - with each inch of distance that she took away, he would replace it - he was in no way willing to come anywhere near her. However, that made her feel just a hair safer, no more. She would be a fool if she thought that he couldn't, at any point, overcome his unwillingness to be in close proximity to her, just so he could rid himself of the pest she knew he thought her to be. "I'm sorry, I am simply.. Curious." she said. She had to admit to herself that she would, in fact, enjoy it greatly if he simply told her tales and stories of all that he has seen...

Loki: "Understandable." he muttered, making himself comfortable in his new position, his head leaning back onto the cushion. He could have very well walked away now, as he should have, to ignore conversation, go into his pathetic excuse of a bedchamber and see to it that he does not have to respond to her at all. However, he would be locked away soon enough into a prison cell for what may be the rest of his life until he withers away. He might as well embrace the bits of freedom he was given while it lasted. So he stayed put for as long as the mortal remained where she was.

Luna: She reclined, sprawling her legs in front of herself in the thick, soft rug that occupied quite a bit of the living room. It was all so very strange... A month ago, she had been in her own apartment, doing bits and pieces of work that S.H.I.E.L.D. had her take care of, mostly concerning various dry documents that she had to translate from one language to the other and hand in to be sent to the many countries S.H.I.E.L.D. kept in touch with. Much of the world had heard of the events in New York City, and to some, an explanation was given, and assurance that the destruction and devastation would be reined in and suppressed. There were those who did not wish to meddle with the threat and the danger, thus leaving everything in S.H.I.E.L.D's hands - which, in the end, was the most convenient for them. Certainly, back up would have been called in from other countries who were willing, but fortunately, there was no need for that.  
And here she sat, now, with the convict, in front of a fireplace, as if mere roommates.

Loki: There was finally silence. Perhaps the girl had figured there truly was not much for them to discuss... There was not much he had in common with her... Or any mortal, for that instance. The only conversation that may spark between them would be based upon him, and how odd and outlandish he was. That was not something he truly wished to discuss... However, he did not wish to simply remain here for Allfather knows how long... He could manipulate the girl if he wanted to into doing his bidding. But manipulation would not come from being so very distant from her... He had to put his silver-tongued self to use. He glanced over to her when he was certain she would not notice and shifted in his seat. "So," he began almost entirely random, "What sort of wretched thing did you accomplish that landed you here? You cannot tell me it was by utmost choice..."

Luna: She listened to his words and at first responded with a soft laugh. He may just have a point, she thought to herself, as being put in the same house for an undetermined period of time with a criminal of his caliber was not a wish of anyone with sufficient sanity. "Fury invited me to his office one day, vaguely explained the situation to me, saying I was 'appropriate', and asked me if I was up for it." she explained. "And I agreed." It was her choice, to a large extent - she could have refused, but she was unsure of the consequences for that. Perhaps Fury would have simply let her be, as he said he would, and find someone else, but she would not have put anything past him.

Loki: He smirked letting out a dry laugh, "Ah," he replied, an amused glint in his eye as he looked over to her, "to share your life with a – ah, what is it they call me? – war criminal." he replied with another dry laugh and shook his head. "Why?" He pressed, furrowing his brow as he faced her straight-on, "If they did not hold something over your head... I see no reason as to why you would not have declined."

Luna: His laughter sounded much like something forgotten, unused and now trying to develop back into something that it used to be. As if he were attempting to recall just how to perform such an action. However, even if his intention was genuine, somewhere along the way, the breath that would form his laugh got terribly twisted and distorted, coming out finally - dry, heavy, unnatural, almost forced. "I do not know whether or not they held something over my head..." she said more quietly, straightening her back slightly and meeting his slightly perplexed gaze. If she was deemed 'appropriate' - in whichever way Fury used that word - and if she could be of help, why wouldn't she accept? It spared someone else the trouble, someone 'less appropriate', and though it came with only relative safety, the pay was hefty, and she might just get something out of this for herself.

Loki: He arched a brow, his arms hanging to his sides as he unconsciously toyed with the fabric of the Midgardian shirt he had been given in exchange for the tunic he was thrown into the prisons with. It was such a flimsy piece of fabric, useless, and he exposed and bare. There was no such way to shield him from anything, be it warmth or the cold. No wonder why mortals lived such short lives... "Ah, so a reward, then..." He replied with a curt nod. "You wish to find out and see for yourself if that is what they offer after they haul me away... A gift for your efforts of charity."

Luna: "Recompense would not go amiss, I suppose." she said with a shrug. As far as she was concerned, what they were paying her for this would be sufficient for her, even without a 'reward', as he called it. It was enough to secure her for quite some time. She didn't know if she would simply go on to performing her duties about the organization after Loki was taken away or not, though she could see no reason as to why she shouldn't.

Loki: He nodded, figuring that was only to be expected. "I am sure it shall be well worth it." he replied, scoffing. Why else would she give herself to looking over someone who could very well kill her if he so wished it? There will be a large reward for her, he was sure of it. Unless she was ultimately naive or idiotic.

Luna: "Oh, yes, worth all the noise and ruckus and trouble you're giving me." she said with a small, ironic smirk. It was too early to tell whether or not he would be increasingly difficult, but so far, it's been as if he wasn't even here. He refused to speak with her, he ignored her and pretended that he, himself, was not where he was. There has been the pressure, every so often, pressure of wariness and caution, (which she should always keep, she thought to herself), and sometimes, simply the fact that he exuded unease and discomfort.

Loki: "You would not like it very much if I were to fulfill your expectations." he said, giving a small, rueful smirk. If he saw more purpose for it, he would have taken his entertainment easily. He could toy with her until she was mad and then they would send her away, and take him elsewhere. But something deep down knew that he did not truly wish to be within yet another confines of a prison cell.

Luna: She nodded in agreement. "You're very right about that, indeed." She did not know half of what he was capable of, but based on what she saw of him so far, she was certain that she would not enjoy it. No, it was certainly better if he were calm, much like this. However, the more she thought, the more she came to the one and the same conclusion - he was unpredictable at best, and she could not trust any of his behaviors; not one of his moods has to be what it appears to be. His present tranquility could be nothing but one of the masks he places on so very naturally, covering whatever he may be contemplating at the moment, which could, she reminded herself, be the demise of his entire imprisonment.

Loki: He nodded once more, his lips pressing together as he contemplated what should be his next strategy of earning some sort of amiability with her, even in the slightest bit, so that he could use it to some sort of advantage. He shifted in his seat, looking at her through somewhat lightened eyes. "Tell me of yourself," he requested quietly. "For fair trade."

Luna: She looked up at him with an entertained smirk. He told her nothing, and nothing he will receive in return. Fair trade. "What would you like to know, apart from my age?" she inquired in return. She had to attempt and see if she could get some sort of concrete questions, in order for her to lessen the possibility of saying more than necessary. She would not divulge far too much, and that which she did would have to be very scarce, as well - she was certain that he could find a way to use absolutely anything against her, in one way or another.

Loki: "You are most obviously not a typical worker for your agency," he replied. "So what is it you do?" He pressed, though this was out of mere curiosity. The silly human organization would not use a worthwhile agent to watch over him. No, they would choose someone slightly more disposable than a useful, strong agent. That simply was the way the universe worked.

Luna: She contemplated the question for a short while. "I deal with odds and ends concerning foreign affiliates of S.H.I.E.L.D's. A mediator of sorts," she answered, crossing her legs and taking another sip of the water. Often, she was in charge of handling the foreign organizations that from time to time associated with S.H.I.E.L.D, providing the lingual parts, first and foremost, and reaching an agreement or otherwise a compromise that would work in the best interest for both parties.

Loki: He nodded in response, as he could have guessed something along the line of that – the 'odds and ends' being something not very specific – but he figured it did not matter. The very basis of the matter was that she hardly mattered. He wondered how deep that tie was to her organization... Surely something that could easily be forgotten later on, the fact she would easily betray something she hardly had any sort of part in. "I see," he replied thoughtfully. "As I said, this is fair trade. You do know much of me."

Luna: She suppressed a scoffing laugh, keeping all entertainment out of her voice, as well as her features. "I know that which I see and hear, no more," she said in feigned innocence. She knew only that which he chose to tell her, though that was questionable, at best. The only thing she could, at least in part, trust was what she had seen of him beforehand, what she attempted to infer on her own.

Loki: His eyes narrowed seeing the hidden entertainment. So she found his conversation enjoyable... He stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "And what do you see and hear?" he pressed, his lips pressing into a firm line. "What do you know of me?" he continued. "Surely S.H.I.E.L.D. has enlightened you of a few details as concerning my very being... Besides your, what I believe is called, mythology."

Luna: "They've told me the majority of what they know," she said vaguely. "They say they have told me all but I am unsure of that." Her words were true - she did not know and could not know if there was something about Loki that they've not given away to her, even though it might increase her safety, the more knowledge of him she had. However, she knew enough to understand that even with all the knowledge of him, he was one who would simply disregard that and go against anything and everything, if that got him what he wished for.

Loki: He frowned. "So go on then," he pressed, seeing that she was being quite vague with him, most likely on purpose. "Perhaps I can clarify," he added simply, his voice light as he turned his body more so that he was more open to her. He would not accomplish anything if his back was turned. "If you so wish it."

Luna: She gestured with her hand invitingly. "Do clarify, then, please," she said, her voice just as light and polite, as if they were speaking of something so very ordinary - and they were, though this was anything but regular. It had such a gaming undertone; both of them knew there was more to their intentions and words than was shown. It was as if attempting to dance on a minefield, where either of them could step wrongly and end themselves, giving the other one advantage. Except he was skilled, so very skilled, so very graceful and so very unlikely to make a wrong step.

Loki: He raised his brows slightly at her light tone so he managed to almost mimic it, taking on a more polite, conversational one that was a great contrast from his dry words. He could play that game better than any other, if that was what she was wishing for. "I have lived for over a millennium, if I were to tell you my history and reasoning we would be here for a very long time. Perhaps I was not precise. What is it you wish to know?" he pressed, blinking a few times as he looked directly to her eyes.

Luna: "If we have something, then it is time," she said with a small smile, meeting his eyes, feeling as if they were attempting to bore through her mind and see each and every crack and crevice within it, see all that there was, is or will be. Alarmingly so, it felt as if he would succeed. "Have you been to... Midgard... Previously?" she asked, knowing that the question had very little to do with anything useful; this was purely for her own sake. Besides, he would certainly not answer just any of her questions, and even those which he would… Well, they may not be veritable one bit.

Loki: His lips twisted into a smirk, as he most definitely would not tell her everything there is to know of him, nor his reasoning. Her question, however, was merely harmless. She knew his age and she knew of his history. "We all have," he replied, knowing very well she could assume what he meant by 'we'. "How else might such stories and 'myths' come about? Simple guesses, theories from your ancient people? Of course not." He shook his head, his lips distorted now in an odd, amused smile.

Luna: "When did you visit?" she specified, trying to understand that he, and they, had been here at various points in what she knew as history. She shifted her weight, sitting down upon her knees now, finishing her water, though not averting her gaze from his.

Loki: He considered her question for a moment, his gaze never leaving hers as he thought for a moment. He was very young and very childish. He could give her a vague answer just as easily as she did him. He smirked in amusement at that thought and decided for it. "A very, very long time ago," he replied, "In my youth."

Luna: She nodded, the corners of her lips turning into a small, wry smile. "A very, very long time ago, indeed," she agreed, wondering about his thoughts of the humans then and the humans now, for if it was as long ago as he claims, there would have been massive differences. However, she doubted that his opinion changed in all those years, if it didn't simply keep deteriorating. She fell silent, wondering if he shall attempt to continue the conversation, as he had the previous several minutes, curiously so.

Loki: He lost his smirk and then turned his head when he saw that she fell silent. Odd, he thought – she seemed so very willing to carry on such a conversation just moments ago and now she seemed to not be as interested as she was then. Perhaps his answer was too vague, but then again, she was only asking for such a response... If he were to go by an "eye for an eye" logic, at least. He pressed his lips together, simply waiting for her to say something more, to press on a conversation he was not about to be the only one holding up.

Luna: "Your turn for a question," she said after a silent while, carrying this on much like a game of sorts - and it was his turn. Once he glanced at her, she gave him a small, appealing smile.

Loki: He considered what he should ask, what question he should put into this "game" of sorts next – what would be useful to him and what would not distanced themselves in his head. The girl gave him an odd, endearing smile when he looked over to her, and it made him look away again. "I don't believe I know your name," he replied simply, though it was silly... But he did not. In his mind, he simply called her "the girl" or "mortal" or "human," and she knew exactly what his name was. It was only fair.

Luna: A small frown settled between her eyebrows, as she was confused for a moment before realizing that he was correct. Very slowly, though surely and without hesitation, she scooted and closed some of the distance between them, extending her hand to him in the typical, most normal human greeting. "I am Luna," she said simply, keeping the smile on her face.

Loki: He nearly leaped off of the couch when she went scooting closer to him, but he stayed put, awkwardly leaning away. He looked down to her much smaller hand reaching out to him in a sort of Midgardian greeting, he supposed. He had seen others doing so when he was in Stuttgart, greeting each other by the shake of their hand. It was odd, not something he was used to, as the Asgardians often greeted each other by grabbing each others forearm in a sign of friendship or appreciation. He continued staring at her hand for a long while as he contemplated it all. "Loki," he replied dryly, rather suddenly grabbing her hand to give a swift and subtle shake, and then replaced his hand onto his lap.

Luna: She waited for some time, while he contemplated her small offer, though she very nearly jumped due to his sudden grab of her hand, her heart skipping a beat. However, once he had given it quite a rigid shake, she retreated back to her spot, her smile tinging with satisfaction. For the longest time she was unsure of whether he would simply rise and walk away, ignoring her entirely, and she was pleased that he did not. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable, however, as he backed away from her as if she was the plague, itself; did he truly despise mortals so much that he would not lower himself enough to even be in near proximity of one? Oh, yes, she was pleased that he shook her hand, no matter how briefly. She kept silent, knowing that any other thing she might say that was almost like a custom for her kind - such as 'Pleased to meet you' - would go scoffed at. So, she but sat there, looking at him.

Loki: She sat there with a stupid smile, looking as though she was glad that he had shook her hand, so he looked away again, scooting an inch further away from her, as she continued to sit too close to him for comfort. When he was comfortable once more, he glanced at her through the corners of his eyes as she continued to sit. "That is an odd name, Luna," he muttered, weighing the syllables of the name on his tongue. "As in 'moon'... Midgardian names I shan't ever understand." He mused.

Luna: A light chuckle escaped her. "Do you think so?" she asked. "I do not know many people with the same name, I do not suppose it's very common," she shrugged, propping her chin up into her hand. "One would have to ask my parents..." she mused. Her father suggested a variation of names with the similar letters, but her mother ultimately chose it. Luna never had any sort of opinion of her name; it was simply there, and it was hers and she never truly questioned it.

Loki: He nodded in response, listening to her in silence. He never questioned names, truly. Never his own name, as he supposed it was Odin to have granted him one, as "Loki" was an Aesir name, not Jotun. It had royal roots, he was told, but he never cared enough to look further into the archives of Aesir history in order to root out that lie. He did not like thinking of it any longer. He made a grunt in response to her comments and then folded his hands stiffly upon his lap. "It is your turn, I believe," he added.

Luna: She had several questions, indeed, but none of which were safe to ask, not in his present state. Since he divulged the presence of otherworldly entities, and ever since she saw with her own eyes the inexplicable magic involved, and since he came here, she had been wishing to step over all boundaries and relentlessly question him about it. However, taking into consideration that he was without magic presently, she did not think it wise to ask him anything related to it, though it did not lessen her desire to. "Hmm.." she muttered indistinctly. "If you told me what you liked eating, and I tried to find something as close to it as I can, would you eat finally?" she asked. She did not want him to starve himself, as it would not bode well for either of them. She ought to keep him alive, as she did not receive instructions to do otherwise. It was not a question that she wished to ask, truly, but her options were fewer and fewer.

Loki: Ah yes, her fixation on having him eat so very much. It was comical, really, as he did not require food as much as the Midgardians did. They apparently failed to mention that when he was handed over to her. He gave a small, amused smirk. "I sincerely doubt you have any such food that I should like," he replied simply, his eyes gleaming with a sort of satisfaction at befuddling the mortal – Luna, he corrected himself. Her name was Luna, he confirmed within his head.

Luna: She frowned, her lips pressing slightly together as she looked at him intently. "Well, if you'll not tell me, then you'll have to eat that which you dislike, eventually." she said, knowing that he had to eat at somepoint, thinking of just how different food can be on Earth and on Asgard, and that he is most likely being simply difficult, for the sake of troubling her. There had to be something he would even remotely like.

Loki: He shook his head, "If I told you what I liked, you would be unable to provide it, Luna," he replied simply. "I do not believe it should matter either way, as I shall have to eat your... Poor excuse of food when I require it," he explained, rolling his eyes. Why would she not understand that? What must she be thinking of him? Surely her organization based their predictions of his eating habits off of Thor, who could eat the entirety of a feast table if he so wished it.

Luna: She resigned with a small sigh, "Such a child you can be, you." She felt precisely like that at the moment - as if she were dealing with a spoiled child who refused this and refused that and wanted it his way or no way at all. Such spite. With the exception, of course, that this particular child might simply rise and snap her neck where she sat. She closed her lips tightly shut, considering only now that what she said might not have been clever at all.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes, slightly caught in disbelief that she would dare say such a thing to him. Him of all people. He had spoken lightly with her before and that was merely out of his own intentions but now she simply took it too far, making herself too comfortable with him. He did not say much else, as he knew any sort of violent move or word towards her might land him in a rather unfavorable place, but he would not be mocked by this... This idiotic Midgardian woman. He rose from his seat, brushing off his pants and shirt and then began to walk away.

Luna: The moment he began walking away, she relaxed slightly out of the tension that quite suddenly and quite firmly grasped her. She was glad, in a way, that he was walking away from her and not towards her - they both knew that he should not in any way be abusive towards her, for there would be quite some consequences, but she tended to not put her trust into it so much. It was better that way, even with all the nerves worn thin with his movements. She could not help but think to herself that he very much so confirmed her words, stomping off now, much like a child. She pondered apologizing, yet she made no attempts at trying to stop him from walking away.

Loki: He paused in his step, seeing as how she was making no attempt to stop him, as she clearly did not want to continue any such conversation. He had some sort of expectation that she was going to stop him, that she didn't want to be in further silence, but there was no such thing. His eyes only narrowed further, "Do not mock what you do not know," he muttered before finally, swiftly walking up the stairs. Seeing as how she should not offer any other sort of words (which he was glad for), he continued to walk towards his "bedchambers."

Luna: She caught herself thinking that the only reason she did not know was because he was so very reluctant to change that in any way. She rose from her own seat after several silent minutes, after hearing the door to his bedroom close, and she then took up the space that he previously occupied on the larger couch - it was big enough for the both, but neither one of them ever joined the other who was already sitting there. It was as if an unspoken rule. But now that he was no longer there, she sprawled across it, fluffing a cushion underneath her head and resuming her gazing at the still blazing fire. The place where he sat felt oddly cold, much like his hand, she noticed in a wonder, before shaking it off. It could have gone much worse, she thought, and she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that their conversation would most likely end this way, with one or both of them even mildly upset. Perhaps tomorrow she might try and apologize to him, though she knew already that it would be but a simple waste of time. Nevertheless, she had accomplished a bit tonight, and she hoped that it was now a basis, a foundation atop which she could continue building another day, another time. He certainly wasn't going anywhere.

Loki: He sat onto what the Midgardians thought was a bed, reaching onto the small table for the book he had been reading earlier that day and found his place where he left off and continued reading it. He was fatigued from his lack of energy and the fact he had rarely slept the past several days. He laid back, his head resting on his pillow and looked out to the sky... A sky that held no candle to what he studied night after night in Asgard. That thought alone made him slightly wary. Yes, he did not wish to go back to Asgard, but it was the only realm that was his home in the slightest. He sighed heavily, and threw the book to the floor, finding little patience with what Midgard had to offer in regards of literature, and crossed his arms across his chest as he attempted to shut his eyes and eventually sleep. It took him a very long while, he deemed, as he was not used to sleeping in such conditions – especially without magic. He felt as though his muscles gave in too quickly, and eventually unconsciousness caught up with him and he drifted off into sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Thanks to all those guests who managed to leave us a kudos, it is well appreciated!

Luna: Luna awoke the next morning rather late, in her own bed; it took her several drowsy moments to remember how she got there. She stayed up for a large portion of the night, on the couch, until the fire had dwindled to faint embers, contemplating what she was to do with the man with whom she shared a house and, admittedly, a life, for the time being. S.H.I.E.L.D. simply threw her in, as if in a lion pit, without giving her very many instructions as to what to do and how to behave. 

After her thoughts kept her up for so long, the moment she felt herself drift away, she retired to her own room - she doubted that he would wish to be in the same room as she was, if she were sleeping, for he hardly managed to be in one when she was awake - but she felt safer there where he did not seem willing to go. However, all her thinking and all her musing inevitably led to the fact that there was hardly any point in it, as at any time, any word that left his lips could be nothing but a lie to satisfy her inquisitive mind, to formally fulfill that which he could, and lead her to stop talking to him altogether again. It was not all worth the time spent, she thought, stretching about in her bed, her room darkened by the pair of thick drapes she drew across.

Loki: He woke the next morning, finding himself almost entirely with energy once more, but with an empty, dreadful, sensation. Like the pang of hunger after a large meal that would make you believe that you were not full, he was with energy, but he was never entirely... Fulfilled. He opened his eyes to the brightness of a radiating, hot sun outside his window. He groggily stood up from his bed, pulling the drapes over his window as he found more discomfort in being warm than anything else. At least now he knew why. He walked down the stairs, picking the bent back book from the floor and walked down the stairs to place it back onto the bookshelf, not bothering to find another piece of disappointing literature. The same feeling of hatred from the night prior still filled him and now he was going to have to face another day with the dreaded Midgardian woman once more.

Luna: After many long minutes, during which she attempted to awaken herself a bit further, listening to the quietened sounds of the outside, she rose. She always wanted to be at her most awake and alert around him, which made her mornings quite rushed, pressured even. Her own sleepiness and fatigue would not get the best of her, not while she hardly slept peacefully as it is, with him in the room just down the hallway. There were moments in which she asked herself just why she accepted Fury's ridiculous offer... However, she ignored it all the best she could as she walked to the bathroom to freshen up and bathe before she came downstairs.

The previous days have passed by in silence, and she was uncertain whether it would continue being so, after last night. She was still trying to grow accustomed to being with him, at times not knowing what to do even with herself. There would be difficult days in front of her, she mused as she descended the steps, toweling her hair dry, her eyes instantly landing upon him. She retained her silence.

Loki: He did not move when he heard her descend, his eyes looking up to her coldly before resuming their place to the furnace that was no longer lit with such a great fire as before. He simply sat upon the couch, reclining comfortably back as he waited for any sort of response from her. He pressed his lips together and retained his own silence, not speaking unless she would, and even then he was unsure whether he would continue to have such conversation, though he knew it may be imperative for his escape. With that thought in mind he looked back up to her, keeping his own personal frustration at bay. "Good morning," he said, forcing himself to be light with his words.

Luna: "Good morning to you, too. Have you slept well?" she gave him a curt nod as she walked by him, still scrubbing a towel through her hair, on her way to the kitchen; there was no door to the kitchen and the dining room, but instead a simple, large doorway, giving a great view to both rooms. Why was he speaking to her? she thought to herself. It was quite possible that he wanted something, which was a signal for her to be as cautious as can be.

Loki: He gave a nod just as curt in response, rising to walk behind her on her way to the kitchen. "Indeed, I did," he replied smoothly, leaning against the entrance to the small space. "And yourself?" he pressed, his eyes scanning over her slightly flushed cheeks, signalling she had just bathed.

Luna: She did not expect him to follow her into the kitchen, and it made her slightly tense, though after a several moments she let it go, not wishing to seem much too petrified of him. She turned around and granted his gaunt features a light smile, knowing that he did not care one bit of how she slept, wondering where he wished to take all of this and what he attempted to acquire from it. "Better than the last several nights, I believe," she said, before adding "Thank you for asking."

Loki: He gave a small smile, not wishing to make himself seem more suspicious than he was truly being at the moment. Surely she would be shocked that he was now speaking to her, he knew, but with the right words and the right gestures, he might acquire what he wished of her. He lowered his voice, making his tone even and lingering, becoming gentle with every pronounced syllable, "I do apologize for my rude behavior last night," he lied smoothly, all the while making his voice as even as possible. He looked down to his hands before looking back up to her, "I merely wished to have you understand my eating habits. I am not starving myself, I simply do not require food as you may," He would have never said such words otherwise, but if he wanted her trust as soon as possible, then so be it.

Luna: She listened to his almost heartfelt apology, wondering all the while in the back of her mind if he thought her so idiotic. After what he had treated her like for the past week and after getting upset with her last night, she could not possibly see him truly, willingly apologizing. Admittedly, he did come very, very close at that moment to living up to his name, as she very nearly believed him. Something so appealing lured her to want to believe him, however, and she could not believe that it was simply his voice and intonation.. She would go along, however. "It is alright, Loki," she said, giving pretend forgiveness to his pretend apology, stepping closer to him, though not too willingly, placing a hand to his forearm so very lightly, as if in assurance, her eyes flitting up to his. Now that she stood in closer proximity to him than she ever had, she noticed just how much he towered over her. He pretended to want to be on good terms with her, so she would help him. "I merely worried, as I was told close to nothing about your eating habits and how they differ," she said, this time in utter earnest.

Loki: He glanced to her hand on his forearm and grimaced, tearing his arm away from her grasp reflexively before looking back to her, realizing he had just broke what he just spent a few moments of building, if it was even there in the first place. She didn't catch onto that lie, for she attempted to lie to him in return. He could see it in her eyes, the very bit of her that nearly believed him but alas, it did not seem to go all the way through. Too soon, he thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked down to her short form. He would not regain his coldness, however, and he would continue to attempt to ensure she entirely believed him by the end of the day, even if it had to come with a small shadow of a doubt. "You could not have a dead war criminal on your hands, now could you?" He asked, covering his actions with more smooth words.

Luna: As he flinched away from her, so did she from him - his sudden and slightly unexpected movement startled her, and so she, too, recoiled, taking a small, but noticeable step backwards. "Well, I doubt anyone but Asgardians would have minded, truly... But I suppose not," she said with a shrug. She looked upwards at him, then.  
"I apologize, Loki, I did not mean to make you..." she left the ending of her sentence unfinished, her apology the utmost opposite of his false one. She did not want to make him react that way, though she felt, once more, as if she were sick or disfigured, as his reactions were in accordance. It plucked at her ever so slightly.

Loki: "It is nothing," he dismissed quickly, making sure he was a good distance away from her and continued leaning casually against the wall as he watched her curiously, though her comment was quite cold. He would only expect as much. He crossed his arms across his chest as he continued to appraise her with his eyes.

Luna: The way he watched her made her feel as if she were being weighed on a pair of invisible scales, appraised, assessed, evaluated, deeming her god knows what... The area around her eyes tightened just slightly as she looked back at him, wishing in part to escape from those eyes. "If you say so," she said, making another step backwards before turning around to grab an apple from a bowl sitting atop one of the counters.

Loki: He watched as she grabbed what looked to be a Midgardian apple. He did realize that it was approximately time for him to eat, and he should at least eat something before being rendered completely useless. Not to mention it would also appeal to her if she ceased pining after his eating habits, and have her step away from such a topic. Without much thought, he grabbed the apple and tossed it in the air once before appraising it in his hand. It should not be too different, he figured, before taking a small bite into it. He realized it was much less sweeter than what he was used to.

Luna: She blinked, having her apple taken away so very randomly. Then, with a mental shrug, she took another one for herself, glad that he was eating at least something. She could not guess at the reason behind it, as she doubted that an apple would sate his hunger in any way; she could not even guess if he was hungry to begin with, and if he was doing this simply to humor her, which, again, was odd on its own, further strengthening her doubts that he was attempting to accomplish something.

Loki: "Different,” He commented dryly before taking a slightly larger bite out of the fruit. The taste was slightly more bitter than he was used to, and he had to admit he liked the taste slightly more in comparison. At least he found some sort of food for him to enjoy. She looked confused, but he paid no attention and continued biting into the fruit leisurely, his eyes glancing to her expression and then to what he was biting into.

Luna: "Surprise," she said with a small smile, making a mental note to buy more apples, if they turned out to be the sole thing he would agree to eat, though she did not exactly believe that he would absolutely hate everything else that she could offer him. He was but too hardheaded to accept.

Loki: He smirked at her comment, looking to her smile then to her eyes. "It is not entirely detestable," he added dryly, not wishing to give her realm too much hope, as if one could manage to ruin a fruit grown from nature.

Luna: "I'm glad you... Like it, I suppose," she said, her tone slightly questioning, noticing his eyes touching upon her lips and then her own eyes, feeling as if those parts of her that he watched seemed much more noticeable, as if they somehow stood out. It was an uncomfortable feeling, really, and she was not amused by the fact that there existed such a person, who can affect someone else in such a way.

Loki: He gave a noncommittal "hm" and continued biting into his apple, taking larger bites until he reached its core. All too soon, he noted, but proceeded to place the rest of the apple onto the small plate it came off of. "Is that what you mortals eat to... Break your fast?" He asked, his eyebrows lowering slightly as the terminology seemed rather silly to him. "As you say?" He added smoothly after a short pause, trying to collect his small knowledge on the very concept of having three meals a day.

Luna: She gave a light chuckle at his handling with such terms that she was so very used to, to the point where it was quite amusing to her to encounter such a situation. "No, not always. There is certain food that can be considered "breakfast food", but I seldom truly have breakfast," she explained. "I cannot stomach anything heavier than fruit, when I first wake up, I need some time..." she shared.

Loki: He nodded, his brows continuing to furrow as she found amusement in where he fell at a loss with his lack of knowledge on the matter and restrained himself from rolling his eyes. "I see," he replied quietly, "Why is it considered a meal, then? If you do not always eat it?" He pressed, his eyes staring directly into hers.

Luna: She shook her head, perching herself upon one of the slightly higher chairs that stood by the counter. "It is considered a meal because there is still a majority of people who do eat breakfast. The fact that I, personally, don't, is my own choice," she explained, gazing back at him, wondering just how meals and mealtimes functioned where he came from.

Loki: "Do you not have hunger, then?" he pressed once more, "By not eating such a meal?" He assumed the reason why humans ate so very often was because they were hungry, their body was unable to retain such food for so long until they have to eat again. It was odd.

Luna: She could not help restrain a smile from curving her lips. "I don't, no," she shook her head, "I can't say I strictly follow the customary eating times, such as breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon and dinner in the evening," she shrugged, taking a small knife from one of the drawers and slicing her apple into smaller bits. "I eat when I am hungry, regardless of the time, I suppose."

Loki: He gave an odd look and then nodded, "I see," he replied once more. It seemed almost like Thor, who ate whenever he had the sudden urge to, or Volstagg, who seemed to be bottomless in the amount of food that he intakes. However, the girl hardly looked like either of the people he thought of, as she was quite small.. Loki remembered a time when he tried to ingest as much food as Thor did, only to rid himself of it moments later.

Luna: She responded to his apparent indifference with a shrug, eating away at her apple in silence, waiting to see if he shall so strangely strike up another conversation. Whatever he was attempting to do, perhaps she could find a way to maneuver her own wishes into the entire ordeal, as well. She mused briefly upon the motivation behind his forced conversation with her... It always came down to his freedom, as she could not see anything else.

Loki: He watched her continue to eat curiously, attempting to think of any other information he could skillfully allot to her in order to gain more of his trust, but could think of minimal, as he knew his sudden desire to speak would be suspicious to her, so there he sat, his lips pressed together as he leaned back in his chair.

Luna: The silence was filled by the sound of her own chewing in her head, which was far too loud for her comfort. She slowed her chewing down, wondering if he could hear it, as well, before swallowing and looking away somewhat sheepishly. She'd not take another bite until they spoke again. Sitting atop the high dining chair, she could only reach the floor with the tip of her foot, brushing it slightly along what she could. She glanced at him every so often. "On Asgard, there is no breakfast, lunch or dinner?" she asked curiously.

Loki: He shook his head, "We have feasts once every seven days... What you consider a week," he answered, a small smirk on his lips. "That is when we may be deemed to be in need of such sustenance," he said, quirking an eyebrow at her as she awkwardly looked about her when she was eating her apple.

Luna: "Ah, I see," she said with a small nod. This was helpful information, to know that he should eat once a week at least to prevent himself from deteriorating. However, it was an altogether different question, the one of how much he could and would go without food, and how long it took him to be truly hungry. "Feasts... That ought to be.. Interesting," she said thoughtfully, trying to create an image in her mind's eye, wondering if they were anything alike what feasts were supposed to be on Earth, and whether she’d like them or not. 

Loki: He chuckled and then gave a curt nod, "Yes, they are, indeed..." he replied, his eyes looking over to hers, seeing how they looked to be calculating such information that he granted her. But this would have to be the end of what he can give her. The last thing he wanted was S.H.I.E.L.D. knowing every single detail of him or where he came from.

Luna: She remembered an image she had seen in a book she had once read, long ago - a children's book, to be more precise - and she attempted to recreate it in her mind's eye. "Large halls, with long tables ridden with food, a lot of people, laughing, drinking?" she wondered aloud, quietly. Such 'feasts' can be found on the contemporary Earth, but the ones she had in mind were old, medieval..

Loki: He nodded again, watching as she seemed to piece everything together based upon what she knew. However, whatever images she was being supplied with in her mind would hardly hold a candle to Asgard. Nothing in the nine realms was in the least bit as elaborate as Asgard, feasts included. "Yes, that is about correct," he replied lightly, "The mead flows as freely as the tongues, I assure you.”

Luna: "How.. Delightful," she gave a soft laugh, shifting his gaze to his. There was something alike mead where she lived, though she wouldn't dare believe it was anything like the mead on Asgard; nevertheless, the one she had tasted was absolutely foul, much too strong and much too burning for her taste - the taste, which, as far as such beverages were concerned, was nonexistent. "That is something our realms have in common," she said lightly.

Loki: He gave a small frown, "No, I daresay our realms have nothing in common. What you may envision a feast of being is dull in comparison," he replied smugly... Though he hardly had anything to be smug about. Asgard was not his realm... He truly had no realm to call home, though he grew up within the royalty of Asgard.

Luna: "Of course, I was not alluding to our feasts matching, that is simply incomparable," she praised, with only the slightest hint of exaggeration in her voice. "But the people and the alcohol, that hardly changes, no?" she said with a shrug, shifting her weight on the chair.

Loki: He pressed his lips together, looking over her features as she seemed to almost mock him once more, but he let it pass. "Based upon what I have observed, I suppose," he replied noncommittally.

Luna: She sat, regaining silence as she wondered where their conversations were leading, and if they were leading somewhere to begin with. What their point was - what Loki thought their point was and how it differed from her own perception; what he wished to coax out of her, along with what he wished to keep to himself... He wanted something. Otherwise, she knew that he would absolutely not even try and speak with her - after all, he thought so foully of her kind that he would not stoop as low as granting her his attention.

Loki: He blinked a few times as the silence continued to reign. He narrowed his eyes slightly, seeing as some sort of realization dawned upon her, the way she looked at him conservatively, as if she had something to hold back, as if she knew he wanted something out of her. He was determined to get it, though he knew his persuasion through words would ultimately be a shot in the dark without his energy or magic... "What is it?" he asked smoothly, leaning back in his chair, his hands folding upon each other as he looked over her, a smirk playing upon his lips.

Luna: She met his green eyes and mirrored his knowing smirk. Oh, how unfair it was... It made her wonder why S.H.I.E.L.D. had not found someone more difficult for Loki to perceive, to see through; then, she realized that such a person would be quite difficult to find. They were all trained, but Loki was not something one could easily go against, on any grounds. She knew that the days ahead of them would be so very difficult, for her, at least, if he continued to so effectively slither into her mind and see it for everything it was. "Thinking, of Asgard, mainly. Do understand how.. Uninformed we are, I suppose. It's only natural for me to want to know as much about it as I can, I think." she explained. Certainly, there was knowledge of him, in particular, that she desired, but it was almost neck to neck with the desire to know of the realm from which he came.

Loki: He blinked a few times, wondering if she thought him idiotic. "I know that," he replied, rolling his eyes, shifting so he was closer to her, his eyes looking into hers, narrowing as he saw the lie almost immediately. Of course she would cover whatever doubts she was having. She did not seem like the type to acknowledge any sort of doubt or suspicion. He looked down to her lips, drawn into a smirk, as if she could easily tell what he was thinking or wanting, but in the end it would be her who would not know what was coming for her. It would always be her in the losing streak, not him. She was weaker than the rest he has had to put up with. He can appeal to her if she would only open the door. "But what more?"

Luna: She took notice of his eyes once again touching upon several of her facial features, and the gaze they bore was unsettling; almost hungry, as if he was simply playing with his food before he finished it. If it was freedom that he wanted, he wouldn't be granted it. Without his magic, without his attributes, there was virtually no path for him to take which would lead to him being set free. "Direct," she said simply, wondering briefly if she could get him to lessen their current proximity by giving him more of it. It seemed to work previously, though there was a constant risk of it backfiring. Nevertheless, she easily leaned in, closer to him.

Loki: He saw that she seemed to mimic almost every movement he made. He frowned, seeing as how this was going nowhere he wanted it to. "Direct?" he repeated, shaking his head as he refused to back down, his eyes glaring deeply into hers, intimidation being his next goal, if not appealing to her by the smoothness of his voice, the alluring bit of his voice... He should be able to appeal to a woman. He had been able to coax many a woman into his bed unfailingly... Not that he was about to seduce a mortal woman, no; however, if he could find what makes her react, what makes her angry or sad, ultimately leading to what would make her bend under his thumb, if not by force.

Luna: "You," she gave the briefest of explanations, though one that should suffice. She reminded herself to have care of how she behaved with him, lest it turned on her and ended up with her in a less than favorable situation. However, she kept her eyes upon his own which glinted with possibilities and calculations. He knew what he was doing, naturally, and she couldn't deny that it was not at all effective - the bits that were, she kept hidden away from him, her stare on him hard as she inched in the slightest towards him.

Loki: He glared, "Explain, woman," he muttered flatly, unamused with the fact she was attempting to get him to back away by her impending proximity. He would not allow her to touch him, yet more of getting so close as to intimidating her until she backed down herself.

Luna: With a sigh, she rubbed her temples slightly. She thought him quicker than this. "You're direct in your interrogation," she said that which he ought to have realized, himself. She attempted to ignore the fact that she had complied to his demands, but for now, she could afford it. She did not move any further, physically, but she did not back away, either; instead, she remained firmly rooted to place, and unless he made any sort of move against her, she would keep it that way.

Loki: "Interrogation?" He repeated, "I believe it is you interrogating me. You who wish to know of my world,” He pressed with a sly smirk, seeing as she was stubborn in moving, as he looked down his nose to her eyes. He would not lose such a challenge which would be very simple for him to win.

Luna: "I see no harm in giving a young woman the knowledge of such things that barely relate to you," she said, his closeness unnerving, and a small part of her mind constantly telling her to back away, attempting to coerce her body into obeying the command and simply moving away from the eyes that nearly made her as much of a captive as he was. Another few inches and she would be able to feel his breathing against her. She shifted for a moment, but did not retreat. "Your world were my childhood stories. Do you blame me for wanting to know?" she asked, her voice low.

Loki: "Ah, yes, but they do relate to me," he replied his eyes continuing to narrow until they were but green slits, "Why should I be so willing to share such information with someone like you, hmm? If I should grant such information, perhaps it is not what you wished it to be? Perhaps such 'childhood stories' were all but a falsity," He replied spitefully, knowing where he was going with this, just pressing the buttons he wished to until he had a desired result. It was a game... A puzzle to him.

Luna: "Fortunately, then, that I expect stories to be different from the factual matters," she said, as if it should be obvious. "But, you see, the possibility of learning more - what differs, what doesn't, how it all functions - of expanding the story, of developing it, changing it... It is quite alluring. Besides, even if the stories that you might choose to give me are lies and falsities, too... It hardly matters. A good story is a good story. I do not expect yours to be any more true than the ones told to me then," she explained earnestly, a small glimmer in her dark eyes which gazed upon his appealingly, a glimmer of simple desire for tales and telling. "As for why you should be willing - I can't answer that, as it is your choice."

Loki: His nostrils flared distastefully as he sank back into his seat slightly, yet never giving in on his proximity to her, no matter how uncomfortable he was becoming. The girl was irritating him, he decided, as he still was not winning the information he wanted for him to continue. He gave a small sigh, rolling his eyes, "I am not some petty entertainment," he replied spitefully, "nor shall I ever be to you."

Luna: She could not see what more he could be, in his current situation, but she would not tell him that. "Oh, but you would be far from a simple petty entertainment," she commended, then leaned back into her chair and away from him, hoping badly that he would not follow. She decided to let go, for now, that which she wished to get out of him, in order to protect herself more firmly from his continuing attempts at getting what he wanted.

Loki: He contemplated a moment, as she seemed insistent on winning, her own bit of intimidation not working as well as she thought it would. He leaned onto his elbows as he continued to lean towards her. If she wished for entertainment, that would be a simple way of appealing to her, through what she would be led on to believe was truth... He could weave a story that would appeal most to her, what she would want to believe of him... "Very well," he replied quietly, his eyes glancing about her expression before landing back onto her eyes.

Luna: As he moved in closer, she backed away further, as much and as far as the chair and its back would allow her, watching him to see if he will, once again, follow. Her expression and her eyes brightened, feigned - the most stubborn of men she'd encountered so far would not give in this easily, not with any compliments she might give him. However, if he truly were to be 'entertainment' for her, as he said, she would derive some sort of satisfaction from it, if only that of hearing the likely made up stories. It irked her slightly that she would possibly never know whether or not his words were false, but until proven in some way otherwise, she would treat them as such. "I'm sure you're a great wordsmith, if I ever saw any."

Loki: He gave a proud, smug smirk in reaction to his agreement. "There are reasons behind all of the names given to me,” He replied smoothly, "However, I am simply curious of what you should like to hear," He said, tilting his head to the side, "We seem to have more than enough time... Perhaps even too much time," he said, arching a brow at her, as he waited to hear what sort of stories he may twist to his own satisfaction... The result never working in her favor.

Luna: She relaxed, however slightly, when he made no movements to lessen the distance between them. "The tale of your wager with Brokkr - what is true about it?" she glanced at his thin, pale lips for a short moment before looking back to his eyes. She gave a light smile - no matter what he told her, even if it were all lies, it would make it no different than the stories she read as young. In the worst case, she would get a good story out of it all.

Loki: He gave a small sneer, remembering the Midgardian tale of his lips being allegedly sewn shut. As if he would ever allow another to hold him down long enough to commit such an act, even if it was in exchange for such a wager. However, she did not have to know that. His lips being sewn shut would strike a bout of pity within her, a way for him to act upon a revealed tender spot that he could continue to prod into. "It is true that the dwarves have never found favor with me... Yet the resulting punishment was not enforced by them – rather it was the Allfather who did so in my youth as a 'lesson' of sorts," he replied with a slight sigh as if remembering such a terrifying experience, and, in result, shuddered.

Luna: She listened, leaning her elbow on the counter top and her cheek in her hand. "A good thing you heal well, then," she said, before her expression softened. "Though that is not something one should ever go through," she said a bit more quietly, a part of her mind asking the same question over and over again - was it true? If it was, such pain would be truly shudder-inducing, having one's lips needled and threaded through.... "Are punishments always so painful on Asgard?" she wondered.

Loki: This answer, above all, would be truthful. It was true he had suffered through many a punishment upon Asgard, from being strapped onto a rock underneath a venomous snake, his sons being taken from him, as well as, consequently, his wife. He gave a swift nod, "I suppose, comparatively, they are quite... Strenuous..." He shut and opened his eyes heavily, as if exhausted from the very memory.

Luna: Upon hearing such a tone of voice and seeing such a reaction, she wondered what a flawless actor he is, assuming he was feeding her lies. However, the hand that had cradled the side of her face dropped to rest gently upon his forearm, her touch light, and hopefully soothing, lest the Liesmith miraculously spoke in sincerity. She retained her silence, though her eyes coaxed him on, curious, wary.

Loki: He glanced at the touch on his forearm and swallowed, trying to take in the sensation of her almost uncomfortably warm skin brushing upon his lightly, as if trying to comfort him, though he could see it in her eyes she was not believing. "As you are... Educated... Upon such matters regarding the myths of my past... You are aware I had a wife, yes?" He pressed, as this next story would not be entirely false, but if he played off of such human emotions and sentiments, he could make it work in his way.

Luna: Their mythology spoke of many women with whom Loki associated, but one in particular stood out. "Sigyn, yes," she responded readily, her hand moving slightly away, though keeping in close range. He was so, so very cold, she noticed, connecting it to the other times she thought she felt it.  
Loki: His hand clenched tightly, before releasing, trying to remain calm. It was a gentle, mortal hand that would do him no harm – she meant it in a gesture of comfort, a way to get through to him... It was not painful, it was not controlling, it was merely a gesture towards the goal he wished for. He repeated those thoughts several times. "Her life was lost due to my mistakes," He replied, his eyes closing once more as he drew breath. "As were my sons’... In honor of Asgardian punishment."

Luna: Her brow lowered as she considered his words, searching in her mind any mentions of such things in the books. "Because.. of Baldur's death..?" she guessed slowly, unsure if her connection was correct. Quite an eye-for-an-eye method, though one taken to a slightly higher level. Her hand did not go back to rest on his own, as she took notice of his sudden rigidity at her touch; she merely looked at him tentatively, gently.

Loki: He gave a curt nod, his gaze hardening slightly. "It was justifiable..." he muttered, "His death was, at least,” he said quietly, seeing as how her eyes turned gentle. So he would prod on, looking to see all that appealed to her, all that she pitied, all that she didn't. "But nothing shall replace a beloved wife and my sons," he muttered sadly, though he knew he hardly harbored any tender or loving feelings towards the woman he was coerced into marrying. He felt guilt... Guilt that he ruined an innocent's life for his selfish reasons, taking away her only hope of fulfilling a wish that had been implemented into her since childhood, of maintaining such a family. He enjoyed his sons, but he did not wish for them, either.

Luna: What with all she's seen of him, he did not entirely seem as one who would care overly for something such. There had been something that happened that led him to be capable of killing and behaving in such a way, but she was unsure whether it was that particular loss. As far as she was able to deduce, that happened long ago - if that had been the cause for his tyranny and the state of his mind, it should have happened sooner. However, taking into consideration that he thought Baldur's death justifiable, it implied that it was something he was always capable of, not something he became with time and with just the right circumstances to guide him. Besides, she thought to herself, he would not so easily divulge matters concerning anything remotely related to him, let alone with such a show to accompany it. A part of her still felt it necessary to act as if what he was telling her was nothing but the purest truth, but she would not, not entirely. He was beyond any aid, most especially the one she could give him. It would not change a thing, in his case, but if she let it be known that a thought did occur to her to console him... It would come back to bite her.

Loki: The look in her eyes told him that she was still not able to realize that what he was saying had a hint of truth behind it; the amount of care she had in her eyes just moments ago was lost into a sea of accusations behind her eyes. He had to do something... He had to say something more that would confirm that what had happened was a true moment in his life, one that she should feel for. "I came to realize I did, indeed, regret what had occurred... However, were it not for my killing of him, I am sure my punishment would have been... Slightly more permanent," He murmured, his head lowering slightly as he looked down to his hand that clenched and unclenched periodically.

Luna: She glanced at his hand, at which he looked as if trying to have her look at it, as well. Then, she moved her eyes back to his head, lowered in what may or may not have been disconcertion. She moved her fingers almost unnoticeably to brush along an inch of the cold skin of his forearm. Assuming he didn't lie, she still would not be able to understand the situation, having never been in one such, not even if she attempted to look at it from his angle. What she could, however, comprehend, was the death of someone close, of someone not even he should be absolutely indifferent to. A thought skipped across her mind that made her retract her hand from him; after so openly speaking of killing another, she attempted to provide him with consolation. Ridiculous, she scolded herself, though she could not keep it out of her eyes.

Loki: He could tell he was getting somewhere, the fact he felt the gentle brush of her fingertips along his skin, the fact that she had so openly been able to pity him was a start, but she retracted her hand almost immediately. He had such hope, and he watched it go down the drain in but a second. What could she have been thinking that would have her change her mind so easily? He shook his head, watching her hand linger closely back to her side of the table, and he arched a brow. "If I had told you it was an accident, you would not so readily believe me," he muttered, assuring her that what he continued to say was truthful.

Luna: "Well, you're not wrong.." she said after several moments of contemplation. "I would not have, no," she confirmed, drawing in a small sigh, a frown settling between her brows. She looked at him with silent questions in her eyes, questions aplenty which flickered by quickly enough for her to be unable to decipher them, herself. Why was she even attempting anything? Perhaps it would have been easier if she simply let there be silence for as long as he resided with her, until he was taken away. She began weaving something that was slowly becoming uncontrollable, something which began tangling about her messily.

Loki: He nodded, knowing that would grant him some sort of leverage as to what was truth and what was not. "Would you not believe, then, that I do, indeed, regret what I did?" he pressed gently, his voice smooth, but still with traces of the regret and sadness he revealed earlier. "If I had no choice?"

Luna: She shook her head slightly, retracting her hand and folding the two on her lap. "That is a heavy question, Loki, one I have no definite answer to," she admitted. How one perceives choices and consequences and whether or not those would evoke regret was something that was, in a great portion, subjective. It may very well differ, his comprehension of it from hers. She but wished to avoid any sort of disagreement, any sort of conflict that would further complicate and make heavier this coexistence of theirs that was barely hanging on its hinges.

Loki: He sighed and then nodded, finding that he was now beating into something that he had already made poignant. "I apologize," he lied smoothly, shaking his head, "I did not intend on that... I safely assume you have your beliefs set about my existence, as many others do," he muttered, looking apologetically into her eyes, as she looked entirely confused, offset... Which meant he was approaching his goal. It was more of a two step forward and one step back approach.

Luna: He was right, she had a biased opinion of him, one that was only in part built upon solid facts; however, she could not ensure the rest, she could not establish the other part, as he was who he was, and that, on its own, prevented it. Even if he were any different, she could not know for certain. A reputation needn't come to be on firm facts, as it can very easily be a product of mere rumors and untrue claims; but it had to come from some place, and his actions have not served to refute anything, thus continuing to build upon his reputation of a liar, one of incredible guile. "I don't know," she said with a small shake of her head, rising her eyes to his earnestly.

Loki: He shook his head once more, "I could not expect anything different," he replied quietly, giving a small smirk in her direction, though it did not reach his eyes. "Truly," he added, "it only makes sense that one should assume a liar is nothing but," he muttered. "It is because of this that Baldur died, Luna," He added distantly, "His very existence was a lie... Much like my own."

Luna: She drew her brows as a small frown etched itself onto her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, in need of clarification, as she leaned slightly towards him in curiosity.

Loki: He drew his own brows together as he leaned upon his hand, looking at her curiously, looking to see how drawn in she was. "It is a complicated story... One that should require you to step away from prior precognitions... If you wish. If not – that, too, is understandable," He drifted off, looking curiously into her eyes before he would continue.

Luna: "I.." she began, "I would like to hear it," she decided, then stood up from her chair. "Though if it is a complicated story, perhaps a place more comfortable would be in order?" she offered, gesturing to the living room, her eyebrows raised. She would, in part, step away from that which she previously knew, though it might not be entirely wise.

Loki: He gave a small nod, glad she would accept, but at the same time, he knew he could make the story in his favor, as it would still come out to him being the "villain" in the end. He rose from the seat at the table and walked with her to the living room, easing himself onto the couch elegantly, his legs crossing as he watched carefully as to where she was sitting. "I am unsure where to begin," he replied, lazily stretching his legs in front of him.

Luna: She followed him, hesitating in front of the couch before ultimately taking one of the empty armchairs, instead, curling up on it comfortably. She placed a cushion in her lap, with whose edges she toyed as she looked at him almost expectantly. "That is not good. If you don't know, and I certainly don't, who will?" she gave a small, encouraging smile.

Loki: He smirked at her position on the chair, giving a small chuckle, "I suppose hundreds of years of recounting such events makes it difficult..." he sighed, running a hand through his hair, pleased that she decided to sit elsewhere. "Baldur was Thor's brother... He was everything that Thor was not, but at the same time everything the Allfather could have asked for. He was a strong warrior, as well as knowledgeable, though he was the youngest of us. Little did any of us know he was also quite skilled in the art of magic. When I found what he was capable of, I swore to him to keep his secret... That was his wish, at least. I was young and naive; I believed that he kept it secret for dignified reasons, that he would use it as an element of surprise for his defense tactic. However, this was not so. Though he was young, he was impeccably clever... I never foresaw him doing anything out of line, until he injured a servant and blamed it upon me. Soon, he blamed anything that went wrong upon me, who already had the title of prankster.  
Naturally, as I wished to protect him, I kept silent until it was I who was being punished for more and more grievous deeds. When a guard had died because of his foolishness, it was I who was receiving such grand castigation. Having enough... I found his weakness, and used that to kill him, though he was allegedly... impenetrable," He explained, lowering his eyes to his hands, remembering the bow and arrow, the leaps and bounds that it took in order to defeat such an immensely powerful younger man.

Luna: Her hands fidgeted incessantly as he spoke and as she listened so very intently. There were differences from what she has read, but as far as she was concerned, this was merely another version of the tale, which may or may not be correct. She retained her silence for a long while, mulling over in her head that which he told her. The Baldur of which he spoke sounded very little like the one who was written about, the sole person to come out of Ragnarok alive and commence a new, better world.. She guessed that Loki was biased in a way, as well, retelling the tale from his own supposed angle. "He managed to simply.. Blame you for everything and be believed.. Of course, they would be quicker to take his word over yours," she muttered with a small nod, looking at him curiously. But couldn't there have been another way to deal with the man without ending his life?

Loki: He nodded. "The penalty for murder is too great in Asgard... As an alleged Prince, I had to make sure he would never injure another again," he explained simply, "I had to stop him, though it meant murdering who I believed to be a brother... A brother would not wish a penalty for murder upon a brother, Luna," he explained spitefully, his hand furling and unfurling once more, though his expression was blank and distant. "I did it to protect myself, as after his death, he was found to be guilty of his own crimes, but it was I who was faced with the rebuke... It was always going to be me to suffer."

Luna: "You had to make sure he would never injure another, yet you, yourself, kill?" she inquired gently, quietly. There was more of a surprise in her tone than there were accusations. Yes, there may have been another way for him to deal with it, but murder seemed the easiest, the most permanent, the one that would ensure that which he intended, and so he chose that, ultimately. She shook her head slightly as she thought; although he was not human, there was something in him that many shared as an inborn instinct - that of protecting oneself at all costs.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes at her question, "I did," He replied smoothly, "I did what I had to. Whether it would seem that way or not is entirely subjective... I lost my wife and sons... I believe I received what they believed I deserved."

Luna: She nodded. "I can understand why they would believe that you deserved it," she said quietly. However, there was a slimmer within her that understood his desire to stop the unjust assault upon himself for the actions of another. The desire would exist in anyone at such injustice, but she did not agree with the way he handled it.

Loki: "And... I believe you should know what follows..." he shuddered again at the memory... Waiting, drop by drop of the snake's venom as it dribbled onto his skin, chained upon a rock by the entrails of his sons, his wife dutifully by his side, though she would only let herself pass away like a corpse in grief. She was loyal until the very end.

Luna: She nodded, looking at the man and attempting to envision it in her mind, to comprehend that the very same being that was bound tightly underneath a venomous serpent was now sitting 5 feet away from her. Her eyes glided over him, wondering if there was any physical remnant of the serpent's acid upon his skin... "I do, yes.." she said. "It is something difficult for me to process, you see. Your age, and all that which you lived through, and all that I have read and believed to be mere fiction," granted, it could still very well be - she could not know for certain, "and you sitting so very close to me, speaking with me," she explained.

Loki: He could see the remnants of doubt, even though he was hardly lying to her. "Fiction is based upon basic truths," he replied knowingly, continuing to look into her dark eyes, "Lies are based upon fact..." He drifted off, his finger tracing circles into the fabric of the couch, "And you still do not believe me."

Luna: "You cannot blame me," she shrugged, throwing her legs across one arm of the armchair and positioning the cushion behind her head against the other arm, fitting quite snugly and comfortably. "I can believe you, however. It would not be difficult."

Loki: Drawing his brows together, he nodded, "I suppose," he replied quietly, "If I told you what I said was truth, you would continue to believe that I tell you falsities." He shook his head, arching a brow, feeling as though he was making no such progress with her trust. He rolled his eyes, knowing he would have to try another tactic – obviously, the stories he was telling were not getting him very far.. "Is there anything more you wish to ask?" Before he lost any and all patience with the wretched woman...

Luna: "Perhaps if you tell me that which you wish to tell me. Otherwise, it could take me a long time to find a question that you are willing to answer," she said. She could believe that his words were true, and it would make things very much so easier for the both of them, but everything was so very uncertain with him, and she did not want to compromise anything, neither deliberately nor inadvertently. "What does someone like you - someone who lives for so long - do through all those years?"

Loki: He smirked, giving a short chuckle, "Whatever I wish," he replied simply, "You forget, the years I have lived are not considered to be many... I am quite young by Aesir standards. I have many, many more years that I wish to live that could be filled with whatever I wish it to. Perhaps, if all is as well as I wish, it shall not be spent in a prison cell."

Luna: She nodded as she listened, interested. "Damn, the things that I could and would do if I had such time at my disposal.." she shook her head incredulously. She looked at him gently; he would most likely spend the rest of his existence in one such cell, which, in a way, could be a shame for someone like him - fascinating though he was, it was in vain if his actions, his choices and decisions were such as they were...

Loki: He nodded in agreement, "Mortals shall never know the joys of living, truly living, as they live and cower in fear over death," he replied musingly, looking curiously into her eyes that were suddenly very gentle. It was odd to him... Why would she look at him like that over his prior comment? "What is it?" he pressed after a silent pause, hungry for knowing her mind.

Luna: She blinked, the gentleness erasing from her eyes. "Stop doing that," she said, then chose to attempt and steer the conversation back into place. "Time would be such a splendid thing to have at hand.." she said musingly. "All our limited lives, we learn and we do, but there is hardly any point to it, save for making ourselves happy," she began slowly, choosing her words carefully. "All of these things I learn are simply borrowed, and I will die one day," hopefully without his help, she thought to herself briefly, "and I am obtaining knowledge and developing my life.. Only for the sake of doing so, only for the sake of making myself happy; spending the horribly limited time I've received... Now, if I had unlimited time, that.. That would be an entirely different story. I would learn anything and everything that I wanted to and I would have time to focus upon each and every single one of those things, mastering them to perfection, and I would use them accordingly. There would be a point, even though in its basis, it would still be happiness," she spoke and she spoke, looking at him with an almost excited gleam in her eyes at the unobtainable option. 

Loki: He blinked a few times at her passionate response, not to mention the fact she looked to be accusing him of doing something. He looked at her in surprise, unsure of how he should take her words. "But you are happy?" he asked fleetingly, looking over her expression, "With your short life? With what you have accomplished? Have you achieved such a goal?" he pressed, leaning closer to her, seeing that she no longer seemed to be gentle with him. He was failing almost miserably now. It would take longer than he expected.

Luna: She shifted her weight, sitting upon her knees instead of the reclined position she'd been in until that point. "I am happy in certain moments. Not always, normally. I am young, yet, I think, and I am still in the process of accomplishing. There will always be something more that I wish I learned or did or experienced... At the very least, there will always be that desire to have your sort of time. It would allow for so, so much," she said with an incredulous shake of her head.

Loki: He nodded, pressing his lips together, wondering what such "certain moments" she had when she was happy. He could hardly remember the last time he was ever truly content... He wondered what it would be like if he were to be simply happy for long bouts of time, to be always in the positive side of life, like Thor used to seem to always be. He pondered for a moment, wondering how he can bend such a conversation to work more in his favor... To work towards his goal. "I suppose that makes sense," he replied quietly. "I am young, as well, as I have said before. Proportionally, I have much more to learn. Time is what I believed I inherently had until... Well, recently..."

Luna: "I am sorry that you lost such a thing... I imagine it is much different from having it and losing it, than never having it to begin with," she responded quietly. Not only was such time of his shortened, but he lost his magic, as well - granted, those were all consequences of his deliberate actions, one might say he had it coming, that he deserved it - which he did, indubitably, at least in part. However, she was unsure whether such punishments would do him good in the long run, assuming, of course, that there was a long run for him in which he would regain his freedom. He seemed to be so very aggravated by it all, and it appeared to only worsen the state he was in.

Loki: He sighed heavily, feeling as though he was going nowhere, that this girl was so deep-set in her beliefs that he was the villain and nothing but the villain. It made him almost hate the woman, knowing that he could hardly appeal to her, or strike any sort of pity. He did not long for pity, he did not enjoy it, but it would be best used if his captor felt it... "It shall not matter once I cease having time to spend," he replied tiredly. That was not a lie. He knew not the punishment that awaited him on Asgard... It may very well be death, or torture until he was dead. "I doubt you are the least bit sorry," he scoffed.

Luna: She furrowed her brow slightly, looking at him with curiosity, and the slightest bit of hurt caused by his accusation. "Why do you doubt that..?" she asked.

Loki: "Why should it matter to you?" he pressed, his hands clenching tightly, "When I am to leave here, I may very well be dead the moment I am off of this realm... It should only make sense that you shall go on with your silly life as if it was your own victory. That the monster can be tamed, can be killed."

Luna: She played with her fingers, her hands folded over in her lap as she did not take her gaze off of him. "Well, I'll not be celebrating that 'victory'. I will go on with my silly life, as you say, but there will always be that experience that I went through with you, and do not think that it will not make some sort of impression and difference."

Loki: "That is inconsequential and silly," he scoffed, shaking his head as he glowered at her, and he pressed his lips together, finding that whatever he said was becoming increasingly less useful, for he could not seem to meet his goal just yet, and he was finding it almost pointless to try. He leaned back onto the couch and stared up onto the ceiling, continuing to narrow his eyes.

Luna: She gave a soft sigh and moved on the armchair so that she curled up around the cushion she was holding. "Is it that strange to you, that you've left an impression on someone, that isn't remotely horrible?" she inquired. There were quite a few things that she could not disregard, but the entire experience of spending a part of her life, regardless of how brief it might be, with someone whom people called a god, with someone who was, in her eyes, ancient, possessing knowledge to match... It was not something that would slip her mind. It was a curious opportunity, one she didn't precisely know how to take and how to handle, but so far, it was going well, compared to how it could go.

Loki: He gave her an odd look from the corner of his eyes and returned his gaze to the ceiling, "It is," he replied simply. Why would it not be horrible? He had attempted to subjugate her race, he had attempted to commit genocide to another, and now she was telling him that the time she spent with him would leave a decent impression.

Luna: "Well, then, that is something you should resolve with yourself," she said with a shrug. "Though, do keep in mind that one cannot lie to a Liesmith very easily. It's similar to a blacksmith, in a way. The blacksmith doesn't necessarily use the weapons he creates, but he still knows them so profoundly, knows how to bend them, to create them, to perfect them," she spoke thoughtfully. "When he sees a weapon, he knows it, even if he did not make it, himself."

Loki: "You are trying to prove that you are not lying to me," he muttered, rolling his eyes, "That what you are saying you firmly believe is true..." he added and then shook his head. "Your powers of observation astound me," he scoffed, irony dripping like acid in his voice.

Luna: She was slowly, but surely, losing her patience with the hardheaded man; this conversation, if continued to be led in this direction, would end up in a dispute or somewhere even less pleasant. It was going nowhere good, and she would stop it before it reached its destination. If he wished to speak with her, he would, but for now, she was growing very tired of him. She looked away from him and placed her head on the pillow, though still keeping him in her peripheral vision.

Loki: He sighed heavily, clasping onto one of the pillows, himself, as his nails were beginning to dig into his skin from frustration with this woman. He threw the pillow aside after a brief while and then rose up from the couch, knowing there was absolutely no place he could even try to coax her into believing that he was good enough to let him go. He had to try other tactics, other ways of getting to her heart... He nearly groaned in frustration. How difficult could this possibly be?

Luna: Her eyes followed him upwards as he rose, wondering how frustrating it must be, to want to get away from someone, but hardly having anywhere far enough to go. She felt that way every now and again, when he exuded such a foul mood that would spread through the air, infecting every single particle; at such times, she retreated to either her room, either the attic, waiting until it stopped, until he returned to his more normal, dissatisfied mood. What would he try and do to create for himself a chance of regaining some time, she mused to herself.

Loki: Knowing he would find no peace in his "room", he sank back upon the couch reluctantly, nearly entirely exhausted with everything he was thinking of – from what ways he can manipulate her, to the conversation they shared, to the fact that he very well may be sentenced to death after this... His last dying moments and memories being of this wretched abode mortals called "home" and this obnoxious woman. How pathetic. He had to escape... He had to make time for himself, preserve himself, so that he could ensure a lengthy life, to find another place to run to, to find another home... He grumbled a few curses in another tongue under his breath as he sank his head into his hands, utterly miserable with the thoughts that plagued his mind.

Luna: Her head rose slightly as she cast a glance his way, then swiftly looked away. Surprisingly, he seemed quite openly affected by the current circumstances; she did not want to look at him while he was in such a position, as he might not appreciate it - she knew that she would not, were she in his shoes. She did not look back to him, though the image of him remained almost perfectly clear in her mind. He seemed to be getting desperate, though why he had any ideas that he could escape was beyond her. Of course, she thought, he would not stop struggling and writhing, no matter how absolutely hopeless the odds were. Stubborn as she learned he was, he would not give up so easily, not when his own existence might be at stake. Surely he would be attempting to obtain that which he wanted through her, if he could find no other way, which would keep her on her toes for the days to come. Oh, how she hated that uncertainty and his unpredictability.. Cautiously, she threw another glance at him, though this one was slightly prolonged, softened, as she watched his fingers tangle into his dark hair almost painfully.

Loki: He continued cursing under his breath as he felt the dreaded woman was throwing glances his way when he tangled his hand into his hair as he tried to think straight. It was becoming increasingly difficult to place his thoughts together, as his lack of energy and the fact he was trapped was taking a toll on him. If he could simply find a way to get the slightest bit of magic back to himself, he might be able to find a way out of this more easily. Alas, he was unsure if it would even be provided for him, and just how painful it may be... But when it came down to it, he had very little choice in such a matter. He needed to attempt it, even if it would backfire.

Luna: She felt a peculiar need to tell him something, to give him some words… The sight of him looking so very much in despair plucked at her, though she had quite a bit of reserve, skeptical that he could be putting on an act, for whatever reason. Any reaction that she might give him could be the reaction he is aiming for, in which case the best possible reaction would be the absence of any. However, she kept her eyes upon him for several moments longer than necessary.

Loki: He could feel her eyes staying upon him, appraising him as if he were a specimen under watch. He rose angrily once more, his hands clenched in fists and he finally walked away from the living room, walking towards the staircase. He had to find a way out of this himself, and not through the ridiculous woman. He was strong, he knew it. He would not wallow in such weaknesses and pity for himself any longer.


	3. Chapter 3

Luna: The next several days stretched out in renewed silence. Things seemed to be returning to the state in which they were before their attempts at conversing with each other. In fact, Loki did not seem to leave his bedroom very often - she seldom saw him around the house, save for very brief moments after which he would retreat, and she found herself wandering over to his door, to check up on him. Perhaps he merely did not wish to be around her, something that she ruined each time she came looking for him, but she found it necessary, lest he spent such lonesome hours devising various plans for who knows what. She didn't know if she would be able to see through it, if it was true, but she felt it her obligation to simply keep an eye or two on him. After all, she knew that it was practically impossible for him to escape, as was ensured thoroughly and meticulously by S.H.I.E.L.D. At the rare times that she found him in the kitchen or rather in front of the fireplace, he seemed to her worse and worse for wear, as if he hadn't had a restful night in ages. Perhaps it was simply her imagination, a play of shadows.

Loki: Out of frustration and desperation to which he would hardly admit, Loki sought to find a hole within the curse that Odin had placed over him, which acted as a barrier between him and his magic, much to his disgrace. If he found the energy, even the smallest bits of it, he would be able to find an escape. If that did not occur, he was entirely sure he would be stuck within a prison cell for the rest of his life, that may or may not extend longer than the next few years. He had to preserve himself, save himself... He refused to be handed over to Asgard like cattle ready for the slaughter. Loki hid himself away into his room and concentrated hours upon hours on accessing, reaching, grabbing hold of any sort of magical energy that he knew surrounded him. Every single time, however, he would overexert himself, finding, much to his utter dismay, that whenever he attempted to overcome the barrier, whenever he felt around it for what he sought, it would bring him blunt, deep pain; his muscles tensed and his abdomen gave him a stabbing pain as his being rebelled against it. 

He tried for many nights and many days, coming downstairs only to ensure that she was not suspicious of his being locked up in his room. Periodically, he could sense that she came to his room to presumably make sure he did not escape and then walk away reluctantly. The throbbing pain of his abdomen grew worse each day, but at the same time, he was getting closer... He could nearly sense the magic with him now as he continued trying to pull it closer to him, finding the tendril and locking his hold on it... It took a long while until he could finally find the palpable source of energy, his abdomen searing, and with him lying on the floor, trying to fight the great bit of pain, but at the same time, gloriously pleased that he had accomplished such a feat.

He continued, regardless of the pain it brought him, searching, almost every waking moment, for something that he could use to create something larger than the little bits he so far gathered, and eventually, without the petty mortal knowing, he would find his way out of there, quickly, efficiently. If he could not simply walk out, he would snap her neck and disappear.

Luna: She saw him less and less as the days went by, and when she did, she wondered just what was happening with him; his eyes were set in such dark circles, his hair looking as if he had run his hand through it one too many times, his posture was not as ‘royally’ set as he preferred to have it – instead, his shoulders curved and his back was not arrow-straight, and each deliberate step he took to put more distance between them whenever he saw her looked as if it pierced something fierce in him. She found herself in worry.

One evening, she descended the stairs in quiet steps, coming to a seemingly empty living room. However, as she walked by, in her peripheral vision she could see a darker bit of the ground, and once she turned to see if it were just her imagination or not, she found him lying upon his back. Her eyes widened - instinctively and without very much thought, she took a large step towards him, her next one stooping down upon her knees next to him while her eyes frantically searched his body for any indication of what might have happened. Such thoughts and possibilities buzzed in her head, making it difficult for her to think in any clear way - the most prominent was the erratic concern, as he did not seem to be simply leisurely lying upon the floor. "Loki?" she murmured, mild panic coloring her voice as she did not know what to do with her hands which were at one point attempting to land on him, and at the other, retreating swiftly.

Loki: He jerked slightly at the sound of the mortal's voice, his eyes opening slightly in shock as to realize what had happened. She was knelt down besides him, her hand lingering above his body in what looked to be an attempt to comfort him. He closed his eyes with a small grunt, placing a hand over his abdomen, knowing that the last thing he could do was tell her what had happened. Without showing the amount of struggle he had behind the motion, he sat up slightly, backing away from her so she would not further study him and the amount of weakness that was ridden through his body. "Luna," he muttered in displeasure, his lips set in a visible frown.

Luna: She exhaled in relief when he sat up, and although she remained still in order to give him some space, her eyes flashed with questions. One of her hands subconsciously extended towards him slightly as her eyes searched his body, first, and then his eyes, for any sign of what led him to such a position. "Loki, what happened? Are.. Are you in pain?" she asked, the worry in her voice mirroring that in her eyes.

Loki: Loki shook his head, "I am well, worry yourself not," he muttered, inching further away from her, letting his hand slowly drift away from his abdomen as he glared at her. "Let me be, I shall be fine," he pressed, knowing that he simply needed to access the magic once more, just to make sure he had a hold on it before resuming his plans of escape.

Luna: She shook her head as she moved her arm back to rest by her side. "You cannot tell me that you are well, you do not look well and you were not lying on the ground because it's soft and comfortable," she, too, pressed, her eyebrows furrowing in further concern; she needed to realize just what was wrong with him, as there most definitely was something that she was not seeing.

Loki: He frowned, "And if I am not, what is it to you? If I am to die after I leave here, why should it matter if I die before?" He muttered leaning himself onto the couch as he tried to cover himself with more spiteful comments to get her to cease caring, for it would make it much more easier for her to ignore him altogether.

Luna: Her lips pressed together for a moment before she spoke. "Because you are under my care while you are here and I do not want anything to happen to you while that is so. I cannot say that I don't want to have you on my conscience, if there is a possibility that you will die when you are gone from here.." she said in a slight rush, her thoughts coming out before they were properly shaped, gaining a form only after they were out.

Loki: "Leave me be," He demanded through gritted teeth as another stabbing pain radiated through his body, glaring coldly at her as the dreadful woman seemed to insist upon bothering him. It was only making everything worse. "You have me locked here. You have no rule of what I wish to do when I wish to do it, and if I insist upon not telling you, I will not."

Luna: With each biting word that he spat at her, her eyebrows rose further. "I can very, very easily have you transported back to your realm to face whatever awaits for you there, so that you may lose the tiniest bit of freedom that you have here," she said, her brow now lowering, her stare upon him hardening, though she did not fail to notice his obviously pained twinges. "Or, if such a thing presents, by chance, relief for you, I can just as easily have you stuck with me here for an even longer period of time."

Loki: He glared at her, his lips set in a deep set scowl, for he knew her words were true. He bit back the following twinge of pain as he listened to her. "I assure you, it is nothing," he muttered after a long moment of silence, simply glaring at her through narrowed, emerald slits. "Let me be," he repeated boldly, knowing there was no more he could do to simply cease her interrogation besides demanding she leave him alone, "I wish to be alone for the time being."

Luna: "Yes, you've made that very clear since you got here,” she sighed and rose from the ground, keeping her eyes intently on him. Then, lips pressed tightly together, she extended her hand towards his form sitting on the ground still, as an offering to help him up.

Loki: He looked at the hand she had extended, a scowl still on his face as he did not wish to touch her, much less get up from the floor, as he was still facing the waves of pain that swept over him. "Away with you," he said through gritted teeth.

Luna: She shook her head as she still held her hand invitingly. "Take my damned hand, get up and I will get you back to your room," she said; 'you stubborn mule of a man', her mind filled the rest of the sentence that she did not think wise to say. She would comply for the time being, but she would not let it go entirely.

Loki: He muttered a few curses at the damned woman who would not make herself scarce. After several long moments, he finally acquiesced, taking her hand as she tried, in vain, to pull him up from the ground. Him being much taller than her, she would find it incredibly difficult, but he was amused watching her try.

Luna: Once she attempted to pull him up, she felt a force stopping her from it, and it was not mere gravity and his weight, but rather as if he was purposefully making himself difficult to move. A bitter smile came to her lips - she would heave him up somehow, but that would require further physical contact that he was not so fond of. Perhaps that will get him to move. She dug her heels in and began pulling onto his arm, while at the same time bending slightly to wrap her other arm around his slim waist and use it to try and bring him to his feet.

Loki: He jerked, his eyes widening at the sudden touch of her arm being wound about his waist. He pulled himself upwards, despite the massive amounts of pain radiating through his entire body, forcing his arm out of her hands, looking at her with pure distaste, his frown even more defined. "Minx,” he muttered as he stood farther away from her, his arms crossing across his chest, though his shoulders were still slumped in an attempt to hinder the amounts of pain his muscles were pulsing through his body.

Luna: She almost felt hurt at the way he looked at her, the way he flinched away from her so hastily... At least she got him up, she thought to herself. Then, she could not help but laugh with the absolute surprise and amusement that overcame her when he addressed her as he did. However, she was still wary of his physical well-being, scanning over his body with a quick look while his own was elsewhere. She took two steps closer to him, gesturing with one of her hands for him to move, and with the other, towards the stairs and, eventually, his bedroom. "Come on..." she said more gently, taking another step forward to get him to move - it was like they were magnets - the further she came to him, the further he backed away. She could use that to her advantage, she thought.

Loki: His glare did not subside when she stepped towards him, as if knowing it would affect him. He reluctantly followed her towards the stairs leading to his room. He would continue to attempt to regain his abilities on his lonesome, without disturbance. The mortal woman was infuriating as she, without touching him, pushed him along. When he arrived to the door he stepped inside and slammed the door in her face.

Luna: Without a word, she turned on her heel and went back downstairs, trying to remember why she went there in the first place, before seeing him sprawled on the ground. He was rude, lacking the manners for which he knew to scold her now and again, that went without saying, but it was something she began learning to ignore upon meeting him for the first time. It would get her nowhere with such a hardheaded man, complaining about his rudeness and attempting to have him change his ways. It was more than clear that he would respond to such attempts with even further rudeness or plain ignoring. She would definitely leave him for the time being, as she doubted that he could be simply pressured into telling her anything; she would seek out a moment or a few in which she would prod and try to lure it out of him. He was most obviously in some sort of distress and pain that surpassed the one in which he was on any day of the week; she mused getting some more skilled interrogators to coax it out of him, but she had a feeling that he would just put up an even thicker guard. If she fails, that would be her alternative, she decided.

Loki: He continued prodding around his limits, biting back any further pain that would shoot through his middle. He would work at it until he could mold it to do his bidding, rather than reaching out for the tendril of energy and then letting it go. He continued for the next few days until he would be able to do so, coming downstairs only to confirm his presence, but not passing out onto the floor, setting her into unnecessary distress. One day, he was able to conjure a brief sweep of wind through the air, and that was enough to please him. He continued working at it until it was solid, and then ceased, recovering himself from the pain for the rest of one of the nights.

Luna: Each time she saw him and each time she attempted to speak with him, he would be gone as quickly as if he were but an illusion that flickered out. He gave her absolutely no chances to approach him, to say anything, let alone inquire further of his continuing absences and his continuing deteriorating shape. It irritated her to no end, to the point where she thought she would simply barge into his room and find out all she wanted to know.

Loki: He continued practicing after a night of rest, victoriously sweeping random bursts of wind through the air as he would attempt to make sure that what he could do was minimal, but just enough. He sat on the floor to his room, leaning against the bed while waiting for another bout of strength, but this bout of pain was relatively strong. He remained still as his arms wrapped about his midsection, waiting once more for it to pass.

Luna: After an entire day of him not leaving his room, the general absence of noise was beginning to sound very worrisome to Luna. On her way to retiring to her own room, she hesitated in front of the door to Loki's. She stopped, then, and delivered a quiet knock to it. "Loki?" she called gently. When two more knocks and another call of his name went unanswered, led by the concern, she slowly opened the door as widely as it took her to peer inside. The only illumination came from the lamp sitting on the desk; Loki, himself, was sitting on the ground, his back hunched against the side of his bed as he clutched at his own midriff. That sight encouraged Luna to take a still-reluctant step into the room. "Loki, are you alright..?" she asked, at this point more concerned for the pitiful state he was in than for whatever he was doing to get to that stage.

Loki: Loki looked up to the damned woman who let herself into his room. He unwrapped his arm around his midsection and looked up to her, shuffling so he was sitting on his bed, instead of like a dog on the ground. "How dare you come into my room without permission?" he muttered angrily. "I am fine. Leave, now,” he demanded, his tone cold and bitter, though he knew he could do very little to force her out.

Luna: "I got neither permitting nor forbidding," she said, "I am sorry, but you worry me,” she lingered by the doorway, her eyes following his every minuscule movement, catching sight of those which seemed to be involuntary, which only increased her worry.

Loki: Loki sneered at her statement of worry, "Worry not of me, I told you!" He replied angrily, looking pointedly to the door. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself... It is simply a weakness from my lack of power... No more, no less," He stated, wondering if that lie would easily persuade her from leaving, as it was reasonable enough.

Luna: "One that's showing just now?" she said with a shake of her head, accompanying it with a resigned sigh. Perhaps she ought to speak with him when he is not so obviously and clearly in pain; that, alone, must have worsened his mood enough for him to tolerate her even less than he usually did. Pushing this will not do, not in this way. "Would you like some water or something like that?" she offered.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes, the damned girl being so very insistent. Perhaps by taking her offer of water, it would content her enough that she would leave him alone. He nodded reluctantly, "Water shall do," he replied thickly, his tone trying to be more compliant. After she would retrieve water, surely she would simply leave him be...

Luna: With a nod, she took a backwards step further out of the room and went to the kitchen. There, she took several bottles of water, as whenever she had seen him drink it, one did not seem to suffice. She then returned to his room, finding that he had barely moved, looking truly as if he could use rest; rest from what, she couldn't tell, but it was gnawing at her profoundly. "Here.." she said and handed him one bottle and left the rest on the little night stand next to his bed.

Loki: He took the oddly shaped container of water, unscrewing the cap, figuring out he was thirstier than he thought he would be, as he had not left the room for nearly twenty four hours. He tilted his head back and drank most of the bottle in her presence. He had hardly eaten, as well, he noted somewhere in the back of his head. Perhaps when she is asleep he would find something himself to eat, and continue his work when he is clearly replenished. Perhaps it would help with the muscle aches. When he finished the entire bottle in a few seconds, he looked up to her expectantly, his eyes silently expecting her to leave.

Luna: Her stare mirrored his, but after several silent moments, she retreated dejectedly, with a quiet "You know where to find me," she closed the door to his room and ran her hand through her hair; he was like a reinforced wall, breaking down every battering ram she attempted to use, and she was slowly running out of options.

Loki: He sighed with relief when she left, laying back onto his bed as he attempted to cope with the next waves of pain that flushed through him. But he was resilient. He would find a way out of here... If he could just muster enough energy to change his form after he leaves invisibly, then he would succeed... As for the girl... He was entirely sure she would be easily disposed of. He would hide the body, knowing it would eventually be found, but by that time, he hoped to be on another realm.


	4. Chapter 4

Loki: The following night came quickly, and a sudden peace swept through the household. He had rested up until then, tired of having to lock himself in his room to hide away from her eyes after the incident a few nights prior. He was sure that would not happen again. Late into the night, he walked down the stairs, lighting a fire for himself and then sat upon the couch, making himself comfortable to conjure the little bits of energy he had been working on attaining. He sat, leaning against the back of the couch with his eyes shut, knowing that the girl would be fast asleep. He continued attempting to grab and pull at the energy, twisting it into thick, dense strands of energy, putting it into his hands, molding it into all that he should wish for, even as the pangs radiated through his body. He was pleased to say the least, though his lips were pulled into a scowl as he fought his curse resiliently.

Luna: Earlier than was usual for her, she drifted into troubled sleep, after a long time of strenuous thinking of possibilities and probabilities, and of ways to coax out whatever he had been hiding away from her. There certainly was something, and he was being a stubborn fool for insisting that there was not. After two or so hours of restless sleep, she squirmed awake and almost groaned to herself when she looked at the time. The moment she opened her eyes, all of the thoughts that have been previously pushed away flooded back in with as much weight as they carried, all of the concern returning instantly. Several minutes went by with her attempting to lull herself back into sleep, but she could neither make herself comfortable enough, nor could she cease the worry. So, she rose, wondering perhaps if a change of location might help her fall asleep more easily, or if a simple walk about the peaceful house would ease her mind at least slightly. As she descended the stairs almost inaudibly, her feet making no sounds upon the carpeting, she first heard a crackling of the flames before she saw that the fire was lit. Brow lowering, she wondered when and why Loki set it up, as she certainly hadn't tampered with the fireplace during the evening.

Loki: Loki attempted to mold and build the magic into something more palpable, starting simply by taking the poker to the fire, raising it out of its holder, without physically touching it. He poked at the fire, making sure it would continue being alight with flames, before adding more flame to it, himself, as the wood was quite wet, it seemed. But even as he did that, another wave of pain came over him, and the poker dropped onto the ground and he let out a frustrated groan, trying with all his might to bring it back to him and try to take on a simpler task. He did so, picking up the poker and placing it back into the holder before he leaned back, his eyes shutting once more as he tried to ease the pain out of him.

Luna: Luna stood at the foot of the stairs, with a clear view of the fireplace and the back of the head of the dark haired man sitting upon the couch. She stood so very still, her eyes narrowing and widening interchangeably as she attempted to comprehend what she was seeing - she strained to see better, wondering if it was the play of the lighting or her own mind tricking her - that poker could not have moved on its own. And it did not, in fact, she realized, as she slowly connected the movements of the object and the presence of the man who was absolutely not supposed to be able to do such a thing. She blinked, a dilemma within her, whether to go back to her room and act as if nothing happened and as if she had not seen a thing until it was wise enough to speak of it, or confront him immediately. She knew it was so very unwise to wait for any length of time, as who knows to what extent he regained his powers, and for just how long he had been capable of it. It clicked, all the pieces, of what he had been doing for the past week or more, and she cursed and scolded herself for not at all taking it into account, even as a possibility. However, was she to speak to him now... She feared his reaction greatly. So, there she stood, silent, watching, frozen.

Loki: He let out a content sigh and then leaned back when some relief filled him, leaning his head to being along the back of the couch, and staring up to the ceiling easily. He crossed his arms across his abdomen, trying to rest. However, it proved to be very difficult, considering there seemed to be a third noise besides his breathing and the crackling of the fire every so often within the room. He tensed slightly, realizing it was the sound of breathing. He craned his head towards the stairs as he realized that the damned girl was there. Why in Yggdrasil was she not asleep? He inwardly cursed himself as his eyes narrowed at her, only daring her to move, to run and tell her organization that he was regaining his power. He would be sure that once they knew that he was trying to regain his power, they would lock him up elsewhere, experiment with his powers as though he were some specimen... He considered simply killing the girl and making his run for it.

Luna: She tensed suddenly when he turned his head and focused her with his glare. She cursed inwardly for not retreating back to her room while she could. She did not move, however, only return his gaze with a nervous one of her own, her mind working feverishly to try and come up with something to do, something to say. But only partially formed ideas and suggestions came, as the seconds so very slowly dragged on, with him and his increasingly unnerved eyes maintaining upon her.  
Loki: He wondered what all she had seen, how long she had been standing there... He could not tell, but he would say nothing, not until she would make a move and he should react. His lips pressed together into a scowl, wishing that it did not have to come down to this, as it would be unnecessarily messy if he simply killed her then, before any good amount of his power returned to him. How unfair.

Luna: Very slowly, very reluctantly, she tore her eyes away from his and began making her way to the kitchen, instead, keeping him in her peripheral vision. "I'm sorry, I did not know you were here.." she murmured on her way. "I wanted some water..." she added, her heart thudding furiously, beating so loudly in her ears that she would find it a wonder if he could not hear it, himself. He was regaining his magic, and suddenly, she felt so very out in the open, the house becoming such a danger, so quickly and unexpectedly. The fear was increasing within her.

Loki: Loki sneered, "I am sure," he muttered as his eyes followed her through the living room, and she walked very awkwardly to the kitchen, his eyes never leaving her. He rose from the couch, willing to stop her if she dared make a move.

Luna: She knew that he doubted her, at the very best, and she made her way to the refrigerator, taking a bottle of water from it and remaining there, wondering if she should, perhaps, arm herself in some way; however, she reminded herself, much to her dismay, that she would hardly be able to defend herself with anything that she had at disposal, even firearms. If he truly was regaining his magic on a larger scale, she would have an even more difficult time fending him off. For now, however, she would work at fending off the panic that rose in her, instead. She turned to go back to the living room, wanting to go up the stairs as quickly as she could, her eyes lingering on him as she put one foot in front of the other, with each one hoping that he would not try and harm her in any way.

Loki: Loki rose and walked over to where she was in the kitchen, finding it incredibly difficult to repress a glare. He leaned against the door, blocking her way and crossing his arms across his chest, as her eyes nervously flitted to him and looked at him periodically. She looked as if she knew what he was considering in return for the possibility of her telling her organization. "Can't sleep?" He asked, arching a brow as he stared down to her.

Luna: She stopped a little ways away from the doorway, finding it partially blocked by him. She could hardly hear her own words over the sound of her heartbeat. "No.." she said, "Sometimes, when that happens, I sleep on the couch, instead, or like this," she held up her water bottle for him to see "I get something to drink and then hope to fall asleep again... I am sorry for disturbing you, I did not expect you to be awake, let alone here." she rambled slightly. "And you, is the pain keeping you up?" she asked quite softly, wondering if she could talk her way out of this and getting to her room; however, the more she thought about that, she found less and less safety in her room, as well. She was running out of safety, slowly, but surely.

Loki: Loki pressed his lips together, rather unamused by the distractions she was putting together in order to steer away from the issue at hand. He gave a grunt in response, his eyes continuing to be narrowed, simply waiting for the moment she would turn and run to whatever she could find. She was being skittish, prolonging her inevitable accusation in her eyes. "You could say so," he muttered noncommittally.

Luna: "I wish I knew how to help relieve that pain, but I'm unsure that the methods which work for us would work for you.." she said quietly, leaning against one of the counters with her hip, rolling the bottle around slowly in her hands. She attempted to think of things to do, but to each of her possible solutions came obstacles that could not be overcome, frustrating her to no end.

Loki: Loki smirked, "I highly doubt that," he replied, though it came more as a growl. "As I have said, do not worry yourself over me, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself," he replied acidly, "I have been for thousands of years."

Luna: "I did not imply that you couldn't take care of yourself," she said, "I simply said that there are other ways." there was a little more certainty in her voice. Then, she parted from the counter and started at a normal pace towards the doorway, towards him. She could not stand around any longer, simply biding her time and waiting for him to act, if he meant to; it put a hefty amount of pressure on her, pressure that she wished to relieve by attempting to return to her room. As she approached, she wondered just how to go around him without pushing past.

Loki: He watched as she walked nearer to the doorway, her intentions clear that she wished to leave. He eyed her skeptically, trying to see the reason behind what she was doing, whether she would run off to tell whoever she needed to, or if she was simply about to let it pass. He couldn't risk it. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked, arching a brow at her.

Luna: Her pace slowed as she took in the way he regarded her, and she stopped in her tracks the very moment he opened his mouth to speak. She kept her eyes on him, still, though in her mind's eye, she saw the front door clearly; the only possible chance she had was to go outside, knowing that he wouldn't be able to follow - not for very long, at least - as long as it took S.H.I.E.L.D. to arrive, which she hoped would not be a lengthy amount of time. She doubted that she could outrun the man, but she didn't know what he was planning on doing... "Back to bed," she said, taking another step, and then another, her heart racing.

Loki: She looked as though she was about to make a run for it... He was unsure what that would imply, for if her organization saw her in such a state, they would surely come after him and find him. He furrowed his brow, seeing that she was very nervous all of a sudden, her breathing hitched as her eyes seemed to widen. "So nervous are you?" He asked skeptically, arching a brow at her, "To be going back to bed, at least." he took a step every time she did, making sure she would make no sudden movements.

Luna: "You can make people nervous once in a while, I'm sure you know," she muttered. "I don't want to spend another sleepless night." she said, glancing at the ground, seeing that he was keeping their distance the same, no matter how much she attempted to add more to it. She took another few steps, each one closer to the staircase, which were closer to the front door than the kitchen was; as long as he thought that she was headed back up... Each step was a small relief for her, as the door was nearer with each one.

Loki: He watched as she continued to step closer and closer to what she looked like to be heading to the stairs, though she was coming closer, as well, to the front door. He would catch her if she attempted to run, he knew it, and give her a choice as gently as possible. She would not get away with this easily, and he would not be defeated a second time. "I see," he replied as he continued intently watching her, stepping as she did whenever she was looking what looked to be away from him.

Luna: She stopped at the bottom of the staircase and a frown appeared between her eyebrows. "Are you planning on coming to bed with me?" she asked, gesturing to him following her; anything to distract him. If she could simply reach the door and go outside. However, the more she thought about it, a question appeared in her mind - was the door locked? She could not remember.

Loki: He gave a smirk. She could only wish to share a bed with him. As if she was deserving of such a thing... "I do believe my bedroom is in the same direction," he replied smoothly, his eyes never leaving her as he appraised her.

Luna: Luna's thoughts were whirring in her head so loudly, though outshone by an inescapable feeling of time running out; she could either go up to the bedroom, and pretend as if nothing happened whatsoever - although they both knew, indubitably - and attempt to leave the following morning, merely hoping that he would let her live until then; or, she could attempt to escape now - in both cases, she was risking her safety to buy more time. It was as if the tables were turned, as if she was now the prisoner, prevented from leaving. An image flashed in her mind, of her not even being able to see the morning come - courtesy of the man towering so greatly above her - and she turned, and ran.

Loki: He growled, seeing a brief amount of panic cross her eyes before she turned to run, suspecting him already of injuring her. He immediately grabbed hold of her wrist, letting her think she was having an advantage for a short amount of time before stopping her. He glared down at her, "So quick to leave?" He asked, letting out a dark chuckle. "Tell me... What did you see that makes you suddenly so fearful? Did I offend you?" He asked innocently.

Luna: Her heart almost sank to her stomach when his cold hand locked around her wrist; why did she ever think she could be so lucky to escape? She attempted to clear her mind, though it screamed slander at her, accompanied by inevitable warnings. She gave a tug of the arm, attempting to wrench her wrist out of his grasp, but it was as iron, and almost immediately after she failed, she ceased her attempts to struggle, the impossibility weighing down on her. "Offend me? No, not even remotely." she said with mild panic coloring the tone of her voice.

Loki: He gave another guttural laugh at her comment. "Of course not. Then why, hmm? Did you see something you did not like?" He asked, feigning innocence, as if he had not known that she had seen him performing what scant amount of magic he had. He could not let it go now... Not after all of his hard work. "Tell me why my captor is so sudden to leave the prison? Is it not your duty to stay here and watch over the prisoner?"

Luna: His persistent pretense instilled a small dose of irritation within her. "You seem so damned reluctant about being around me," she gave another tug at her wrist "I am having trouble believing you would want to keep me here." she breathed out, the adrenaline taking a toll upon her breathing, quickening it into a shallow pace. She didn't know how long he was going to drag this out, but she hoped that it would not be extensive, this entire act. Still, she scolded herself; how idiotic she was for being so damned rash...

Loki: He gave a short snarl as she looked to be annoyed by what he had said, his grip tightening around her wrist, "I am afraid, dear, you are missing the point to this. This does not have to be messier than it is already," he replied icily, looking at her eyes directly. "You are frightened because of what you have seen and now you wish to go and tell your little organization about it, and perhaps, you shall get out of the task of captor. I cannot let that happen. If you are willing to compromise, this’ll not become any less civilized. Is that understood?" He asked, making sure she was listening.

Luna: She retained her silence for several moments, attempting to take several slower, more even breaths. How, exactly, would he stop her from telling S.H.I.E.L.D. about it? He did not know of all the ways in which she was able to contact them, and she doubted he was willing or patient enough to spend every single moment by her side, lest he chose to let her go unscathed from the present situation. "Understood..." she said slowly, giving a single nod; fear was still the most prominent in her eyes, outshining anything else that might have appeared.

Loki: Loki loosened his grip on her wrist, "I am glad you are a reasonable woman," he replied, though he knew he would have to continue keeping an eye upon her. He cannot trust her, just as much as she cannot trust him. He would not readily believe that she would sit still while he took his escape. That simply would not do.

Luna: She tentatively squirmed her wrist, feeling that it could twist and circle in place, in his hand, though she could still not loosen it enough to free it. She looked up at him; the accursed man had managed to fight through the curse that barred him from his powers - he was so very strong, and so very stubborn. The pain, his absences, they all fell into place the moment she saw him wield the magic, of whose potency she was still unsure. Sly, he was, she thought to herself dejectedly; casting aside her own imbecilic expectations of herself, how could S.H.I.E.L.D. expect this much of her? Appropriate, she scoffed inwardly. Perhaps this was to be expected, and they simply were putting her through a crude test of some sorts. She shook her head slightly at the disappointment. "How did you manage to.. To push through to get to your magic..?" she inquired slowly, the cold grip around her wrist now becoming very unnerving and uncomfortable. "Do let me have my arm back?" she added.

Loki: He arched a brow at her question, reluctantly letting go of her wrist when she asked, but he still kept his proximity, in case she made for a run yet again. He shifted slightly, eying her suspiciously. "There is always a way to break a curse that is seemingly impenetrable. With the right amount of concentration, I managed to do so." He replied, his eyes narrowed at the question. Why should she care? It was nothing to her.

Luna: "Incredible.." she shook her head in disbelief. How long did he even wield it without her knowing or noticing? Another pang of guilt and disappointment. She had a slight bit of peace, for now, as she knew that even with his magic, it would be difficult for him to try and escape without drawing S.H.I.E.L.D's attention instantly, without having the entirety of the organization at his heels. She was glad to have at least some time on her disposal to try and come up with some sort of a solution to the entire ordeal. He had an upper hand now, as he could very, very easily take her life right then and there - what she wished for was some time to herself, to think, but she was unsure she would be granted any of that. He was a much larger liability now, and she needed to figure out a way to handle him without getting herself killed, or letting him walk out of there so easily and simply.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes slightly, taking one step backwards as she looked to be in contemplation. Now that she knew, he could not trust her in the least bit... Not until he had some sort of leverage against her so that he would know she would not take a step out of line in order to defy him. This would only be so until he quietly escaped... He could not make a large ordeal, or else S.H.I.E.L.D. would find him instantly... Somehow, some way... He shook his head, "It is only concentration," he replied quietly.

Luna: She nodded musingly. "Are admirable amounts of concentration all it takes for one to reach magic...?" she asked slowly, tentatively, her eyes rising to meet his, though she still stood in place, not daring to move, knowing that he would most likely stop her. She'd not take chances.

Loki: "Not entirely," he replied knowingly, "It is similar to a muscle... One must tap into it, build it..." He replied, not wishing to go into any sort of detail, lest she attempt to use it elsewhere. He was not going to risk his situation because he told a mortal about magic...

Luna: "And... Is it within reach for all beings, or..?" she pressed on gingerly, her head slightly tilting to the side as her curiosity guided her thoughts to morph into words and escape her.

Loki: He looked at her, arching a brow, wishing to be careful with what he said. "Theoretically, yes..." he replied, "Magic is a natural element... It surrounds you... However, it can be easier to access in some realms in comparison to others."

Luna: Her heartbeat increased; his answers gave way to many more questions to be birthed in her mind, to growing excitement, to possibilities... But she refrained. For now. "I see..." If it lay in the surroundings, if it was theoretically possible, it might just be put into practice. If she could put it into practice... She had to stop herself from smiling with the opportunity she might just have been given. But this required more thought, more time, which she might not have. "Would you take me to my room?" she asked, thinking it better to be polite than to try and go up on her own; it would not do any good if she angered him further.

Loki: He continued looking at her oddly, as if she was trying to gain his trust by asking to be taken to her room, so that he knows that she won't try anything. There was a certain spark in her eyes at that moment, a look that told him that magic somehow inspired her, impassioned her... He suppressed a sneer, feeling as though this could be put to his advantage, no matter how terrible it apparently is to grant a mortal magic. If she ruined herself, it would not matter, as he would be far gone before she would even near such a state. "I suppose so." he replied, filled with renewed hope, though he did not show it.

Luna: "Thank you." she said with a nod and then began climbing the stairs; fortunately, they were wide enough for the two of them to pass abreast, and she preferred it that way - she did not feel safe at all with him behind her back, and she knew that he would feel the same way, were it the other way around. So, she attempted to walk by his side, neither behind, nor in front of him. She had to think so very much on this - she couldn't just ask him blatantly to show her magic, to teach her how to access it, even though she would have liked very few things more than that, presently. This news was nearly overwhelming to her - that she, a human being, could, in fact, wield magic, much like he did. Oh, how many things this allowed for... Now that that fact was out in the open for her, she would try her very best not to let it pass by her as if it did not exist. However, he would ask for something in return, she knew, and she could very well guess what. She was determined to find a way to handle the ordeal to the best of her abilities, if not to everybody's best interest.

Loki: He walked besides her in silence, his thoughts set alight with all of the possibilities of him getting out of this entire situation. The light in her eyes gave him just as much of an idea as he could have. If he granted her some sort of experience with magic, he would have at least some sort of control over her, as that desire would engulf her entirely, he knew. Mortals had an obscure fascination with that they could not access, and if she would prove him correctly, she would be fixated upon it, as well. He would have control over her, whether she knew it or not. Things were looking up, indeed. When she shut her door, he (rather painfully) placed a small enchantment upon the handle of the door, as it would let him know when she left and when he should be alert to the possibility of her running again. It was odd, the way the tables have suddenly turned, as he was still prisoner, but in a way, she was one, as well.

Luna: Once the door was shut, she exhaled slowly. The door, itself, was not much protection against him - powerless or not, he could very well tear it open if he so wished. That thought took a toll on her sleep ever since they began living together; genuine rest was difficult to come by, at times. She crawled back into her bed, curling up within the covers and gazing up at the ceiling. She doubted that she would get any more sleep by sunrise... 

Her eyes wandered over to her cell phone before returning to the ceiling. She could very easily contact S.H.I.E.L.D. right this very moment. But the magic, she thought to herself with an almost painful yearning. Loki could teach her. He could teach her, she repeated to herself incredulously. But he would never, ever agree to do it if there was not something in it for him, as well. His freedom? Her silence? Certainly. The dilemma was pressing, and frustrating to the very bone. Oh, she could be selfish, but to the utter disappointment of everyone involved. Could she simply let his regaining of energy pass unnoticed by anyone else? The safety of everyone and everything was in heavy question, if she let it go, and no matter what words he gave her, she could not trust him that he would not use his powers for something as foul as previously.. With a sigh, she rolled over to her stomach and buried her face into her pillow. She would alert S.H.I.E.L.D. tomorrow... She could not risk so very, very much, simply for her own sake. Perhaps, she thought to herself with very faint hope, she could teach herself, without his help.

Loki: Loki remained awake the rest of the night, seeing no purpose in sleeping, for if he did, she might very well leave and go alert who he knew she would alert. He would not let that happen. The next day, she would not leave his sight, and if she made a move, he would stop her. He had more power over her than she would be ready to believe, as her organization tended to think themselves quite high and mighty, though they should know they would yield to that which they can not stop. He already was a willing participant in the business of humbling mortals as they did so require it. He listened in carefully, ready to hear any sort of sound come from her room, any sort of movement that would signify her contacting the group of petty humans. Surely she would not think that he would let her win...


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to the subscriber!

Luna: The sun came up more quickly than she would have thought, though it was understandable, for she'd spent the entire time thinking, and mulling, and deciding, and changing her decision, only to return it back to her original one, weighing, listing reasons, excuses, pros, cons. It occupied her mind every single moment of the night, though she knew what she simply had to do, regardless of her own being. Once the sun peeked through the curtains drawn halfway across her window, she stretched, and she rose, and she padded quietly over to the desk, where her phone was. It stared back at her, her own mind filling with what had to be done, though she wished there were more possible options from which to choose.

Loki: He knew that he could not trust her as of yet. He listened, about to make a move on her door if she dared to even make a noise. He leaned against the wall, ready to leave if he looked suspicious, but he could listen more carefully through these thin walls if he was closer by her. With a sudden finality, he rose and walked over to her door, hearing her footsteps moving up and along the room. He would have a ready explanation if it was not what he thought was happening. He placed his hand on the door handle, turning it halfway, ready to open if he heard one more suspicious action.

Luna: She blinked when she heard the handle of the door budge, and she called out "Wait, I'm changing!" she said, tossing a nervous glance at her cell phone, before hastily stowing it away into her pillowcase. He was about to come in, and she needed but one more second to alert them, a second which she did not think she have.

Loki: He rolled his eyes, knowing very well that this was not the case, as he did not hear the ruffling of clothing. He opened the door anyway, his eyes narrowed, as he looked over her, still in the clothes from before, and throwing what looked to be a device into the pillowcase. He crossed his arms across his chest. "I see that this pact is not going work out, hmm?" He asked coldly.

Luna: She cursed under her breath, her eyes growing angry as she focused them on him. "Get out, Loki," she said, though she knew somewhere in her mind that it would not work, and that it was more of an angry spat. What if she _had_ been changing? Would he have left? She took some clothes out of her closet, carrying them in her arms as she sat down on the bed. He was still standing in her room, his own eyes as cold as his voice.

Loki: "I do not believe that would quite easily work out, dear Luna," he replied bitterly, looking to the pillowcase she just stuffed her little device into. He walked over to it without much questioning, not about to be stopped. He grabbed the little black thing out of it, surveying it with his eyes. "I shall destroy this," he replied, his eyes flitting from her to the device he had begun to throw up and down in his hand, just waiting for her to say something against it.

Luna: There were other ways, she knew, even if he did destroy her cell phone. She rolled her eyes at him, letting on that she could hardly care less. "Go ahead," she said indifferently. If he was going to destroy each and every device he knew of, there would still be at least one of which he was not aware; besides, if S.H.I.E.L.D. paid any attention whatsoever, they'd notice the various devices unresponsive. According to a schedule of which they informed her, they _would_ visit, at some point, and soon, if she remembered correctly. There was hope in that...

Loki: He paused in his tossing it up and down, sensing something he also did not like. Mortals and their damned technology... To Helheim with it. He glared back at her, desperate to find any other way he could possibly find leverage with her, rather then threatening to do away with her. He waited, knowing very well he could not possibly know of all of the technology used to detect him, based upon the knowledge of what had occurred when he had been detained before arriving here. He frowned in a large amount of distaste and hatred.

Luna: Perhaps, once the agents came, she could alert them and have it all over with; it was only natural for them to inspect for themselves, lest something is wrong, and she could just hope that they would arrive as soon as possible, as she did not know just how much time she had before he was strong enough to improve his chances of successfully fleeing. She stood, then, and nodded towards the door. "Leave," she said again, looking pointedly to her clothes now.

Loki: He continued to glare, "No," he replied defiantly, knowing very well he could just do away with her right then and there and find his way to escape without her notifying her organization. She wasn't going to change. He leaned against one of the walls to her room, his arms against his chest. "You want to learn about magic, don't you?" He asked, quirking a brow at her.

Luna: The question did not take her aback, as she suspected that it would come at some point, but she did not expect it to come as directly. Her eyebrows lowered, her eyes kept on him. "Yes," she said truthfully, briefly. Oh, how she wished she could just grab him and shove him out of the damned room, but other than the fact that she probably could not, there would also be consequences to her mere attempt.

Loki: "That is a pity then," He lowered his brows as well, "I cannot teach you," he replied, knowing very well she was becoming peeved by him at this very moment, but if only he could press the right buttons.

Luna: "A pity, indeed," she said coldly, though she did not believe him. At least, she did not wish to believe him. She rose, then, and headed slowly to the door of her room. In truth, she simply wanted to go and wash her face, to clear some of the heat that her body acquired as her anger and irritation grew. She couldn't not glare at him as she approached the door, curious if he'd stop her, if he would follow her every damned step around the house.

Loki: He would force some desirable response out of her, whether she wanted to at the current moment or not, but if this was to be his last hope, then so be it. He watched her move, walking to the door of her room, and as expected, he followed her, simply waiting for her to make any sort of move, maintaining his glare. "Humans cannot simply learn magic, it is a struggle... It is tapping into an energy that you are unaware of," he replied tonelessly.

Luna: Her lips pressed together for several moments as he followed her steps towards the bathroom. She listened to him, but she would do no more than that. She would rather not risk the safety of many for her own selfish desires. And if it was a struggle, as he claimed, then she would gain hardly anything - he would leave her the moment he saw an opening, regardless of how much she has or has not learned. It would not be worth it... She made a noncommittal noise as she entered the bathroom, then attempted to shut it closed before he could follow her in there, as well.

Loki: He placed his foot in the door, knowing very well this may be another attempt at escape again. He wouldn't leave her be until he was entirely sure. "But if you are so willing, I do not see why that wouldn't be a possibility," he added rather forcefully. "I see it in your eyes... You crave it like I once did. Do not deny it," he added no matter how many times she tried to shut the door on him. "Magic comes to those who want it... I would not be surprised if you took an affinity for it as well..."

Luna: She shook her head as he spoke. "Be that as it may, you cannot teach me," she said firmly, though his words did tug at her so... She ceased with trying to get the door closed, and she walked over to the sink, turning the tap on and washing her face slowly; she tried to let the coldness of the water overtake and block out his words and all that they meant, all that they did. She did crave it, and she hoped that she would not crave it enough to lead her to a choice as far away from clever as can be. She focused more on the water, trying…

Loki: "It is not for certain," he pressed, "It simply has not been done before..." He added, his eyes watching her intently, even though he could sense that she was trying to ignore him for all she was worth, but he would not let that happen. "Think of it, Luna," he said smoothly, making sure his words still reached her ears, letting his words sink in before continuing, "The first of your kind, hmm?"

Luna: There might not be any of her kind, if she gave into his tempting her, she thought to herself, still trying to let the water of the sink out-loud his beguiling voice. With a sigh, after several long moments of retaining her silence, she turned the tap off and dabbed her face dry with a soft towel. Then, she looked up at him. "No, Loki," she said, her voice bearing less confidence than she would have liked, but the words were out, and she would not take them back. She pushed past him, her pace quickening as she descended the stairs, still in her sleeping clothes, but as he would not leave her alone, she would simply not change all day. It was better than letting those unnerving eyes of his land upon her bare body.

Loki: His eyes narrowed slightly. " _No, Loki_ ", his mind repeated, two agonizing words that had once caused him to simply give up... He had heard those words before. But he would not give up this time. He tore his thoughts from that, knowing he had a task at hand. He followed behind her as she went down the stairs, knowing that if he continued down this very path, he would end up somewhere closer to escape than he had been in the past few months. She seemed less confident in her rejection than she had before. "If I could show you it," he pressed, as he walked closer to her, "Perhaps you shall then simply know what you want..."

Luna: He tailed her like a second shadow, pressuring her and putting such weight on her. She turned around to face him, her face weary, but streaked with anger, still. "Give it a bloody rest," she said through almost gritted teeth. There were not many places she could go without him following her each and every step, and she didn't dare leave the house, in fear of what he might do while she was not there - not that her presence would make much of a difference, if he decided for any action, but it would put her mind at ease, to know she at least tried to stop him, that she did not yield. Besides, she wouldn't put it past him to physically force her to remain in the house. She took several more steps, and once she felt him follow, she turned around again, placing both of her hands firmly on his chest. "Quit following me." she said, knowing that he shied away from her physical contact - if she could use that against him, if it would help just one bit, she would.

Loki: He could see the anger in her eyes as she placed her hands on his chest; though he wished to not be vulnerable to such a thing, his body jerked away from it and then shuddered. He groaned in a sudden fit of anger at the way she knew that it can be used against him. He used a brief blow of wind, something he had been practicing in conjuring for a good long while for simple practice, using it to push her hands away from him. "I can't trust you as much as you can't trust me," he muttered when his body ceased going against his wishes. "Is it not natural to preserve oneself?" he asked blankly, his eyes narrowing.

Luna: Her eyebrows rose and her lips parted in surprise when he shoved her hands away from him without touching her, himself. She shook her head in dismay, though not without a dose of curiosity to his actions as she walked over to the couch, sitting down and fidgeting with her fingers in aggravation. "Of course it is," she responded, wondering if it would be the wisest if she simply ignored him and answered all of his attempts with nothing but silence. "But there is nothing that can be done," she added, staring in front of herself at the dead fireplace, as if attempting to bore a hole in it.

Loki: He rolled his eyes, annoyed with her stubbornness. "What have you here, hmm?" he asked, sitting upon the chair across from the couch. "Your little mortal lives, all of them in which going in one small, pointless circle until you die all too soon and all too easily. And you, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is easily disposable as to having the availability to sit here and make sure a war criminal and sorcerer who could have easily killed you thousands of times over if he so desired it does not escape from this petty little realm. And what if I killed you? Why should it matter to them, hmm?" he kept going, playing ace by ace until he could find some sort of response. He smiled, giving a small but sorrowful laugh, "All too easily..." he shook his head, continuing to watch her, "You wish to be more than that, don't you? You crave it... You want that knowledge that you know I have."

Luna: Her mind chanted over and over again, silently begging him to stop talking. "And why haven't you killed me so far? Why don't you, now?" she asked, glancing at him from the corners of her eyes before looking away; his irritating, smug smile plucked at her nerves almost as much as his words did. All things considered, he was correct, and even though he was manipulating her, he was not entirely lying. Is it not natural to preserve oneself, he asked... She was attempting to preserve more than just herself, and that came with taking away his ability to preserve _himself_.

Loki: "I don't kill pointlessly, though I would assume you mortals would think against that," he replied, "I don't enjoy death," He added honestly, his eyes continuing to look at her even as he lost his smile. "I do only what is necessary, and I have not yet deemed your death... Necessary."

Luna: He was right in his words that she and many others would think against what he said. His actions stood as testament to that, and she would be a fool to think that he did not enjoy at least one bit of what he did to the city and to numerous people within it. "As you say," she muttered indifferently. "But you will deem it so at one point or another. I do not see why you wouldn't," she added, a touch of earnest to her voice. When that moment came, she would either live or she wouldn't, and she hoped that the circumstances would be such in which he would fail to do away with her. He simply didn't have that bit of understanding in him, of doing what was in the best interest for the majority, not just for an individual. She would not obtain the magic he seemed to be willing to grant her, but she would learn to live with it, to continue living much like she did before him. If it provided protection.

Loki: He cocked his head to the side as she was contemplative, "But why should I?" he pressed, knowing very well there were a few reasons for him to, but if S.H.I.E.L.D. or Odin were to find he had committed such a murder, they would hound him down even more so. He blinked a few times, as he knew she was not believing his honest words. He had to kill those people before... A ruler must conquer before he takes the seat of power... He cannot have the weakness of those who question him. That was what he was led to believe, at least. "You have proven some sort of worth to me. Why should you speak against that?"

Luna: She shook her head in disbelief, and her following exhale held a wry chuckle within itself. "What worth, pray tell?" she looked at him with genuine interest, the corners of her lips twisting up into a smile just as wry. "What have you done, save for not killing me yet, that would assure me that you would not, still, if you so wished?"

Loki: "I have offered to teach you," he replied, his brows pulling together tightly, "To give you something I know you desire..." He added, continuing to smooth out his tone in order to find some sort of way to get through to her. "If I did not see any sort of worth behind a mortal who may not even grasp the concept, even if you very well know my intentions, why should I bother offering in the first place, hmm? You may very well have an affinity, such as I..."

Luna: And what gave him the idea that she would not go ahead and report him to S.H.I.E.L.D. regardless of what he promised or taught her? She thought to herself. One such as he should know to expect such actions from just about anyone... "Thank you for your offer. It is tempting, and rightfully so, but I cannot, and you very well know why," she said more quietly, musing upon this new idea that occurred to her, to simply.. Go behind his back and to her organization, even though it, too, would be wrong of her, according to that which she had been taught. To act as such towards one who would grant her something she craved... Granted, there was the fact of him being who he was, and that it should not matter what she did... She placed her head in her hands.

Loki: "Why do you believe I shouldn't escape, then?" he replied, pressing to know and crawl inside her head, to see what she thought. His reasons were quite simple - he did not want to die. If he did, indeed, escape, it was quite possible Yggdrasil would not see him as the fallen "Prince" Loki ever again. She isn't defending her realm, as he did not wish to even come upon it ever again... He was going to leave and leave for good. He was finished.

Luna: "Because I have no guarantee that you will not lay siege again," she said truthfully. He reaps what he sows - his reputation will come back time and time again, to stab him, even when he might just be telling the truth - people would not be so quick to believe him, regardless.

Loki: He laughed and then shook his head. "Oh, my," he replied quite bitterly, "I do believe you are insulting my intelligence by thoroughly believing I did not learn from what I have done," he smirked. "Here I am, kept as prisoner within this ridiculous place, kept by a mortal organization who believes themselves much higher than a god... No, you have no guarantee from a liar, but you can be sure when I am gone I’ll not ever attempt to bother with this realm once more," He replied, his smirk unwavering.

Luna: She gave a small sigh. "And if I let you teach me, what happens when you are gone? What am I to do with only a beginning of learning?" she inquired, her eyes flitting from his lips, twisted in a smirk, to his eyes, weary, but glinting with success.

Loki: He furrowed his brow. "I cannot guarantee the limits of what your mortal body can take with such magic, so I daresay that would be all there is to learn – the simple aspects of it... It takes hundreds of years to learn what more one can do," he replied, tilting his head to the side. "But it is enough, is it not?"

Luna: "Not if I am to give you that which you ask for in return... If it proves that it’s not all there is for me to learn... What then?" she pressed on further, treading very carefully on the field of hypothesis, testing.

Loki: He leaned back in his seat, seeing that the mortal was pining for reasons as to why she shouldn't give in. He shook his head, "With the right amount of explanation, I daresay you shall find your limits on your own."

Luna: She shook her own head. "And if I wish to cross those limits?" she shot yet another question his way. If magic was truly something within her reach, she would be relentless in learning, in perfecting it even beyond the limits that she found.

Loki: He pressed his lips together, his brows continuing to furrow, "You should experience something similar to what I have in breaking a curse... Magic is like a muscle, as I believe I had said before... It must be built upon to a certain degree, trained, and practiced, and until you have a firm base, you cannot venture forwards."

Luna: Well, that settled it, she thought to herself. If practice was all it took... But, even if that was so, once he is gone, whether on his own accord or not, she would have only herself and her blind guesses and blind wandering, exploring on her own. "That... Does not sound far too impossible," she said slowly.

Loki: He nodded. "I learned mostly on my own in my youth," he replied, "Once you have the basic knowledge of every concept, you might be able to slowly apply it and build more skills upon them," he explained, hope returning to him.

Luna: "But.. It will all be done so very slowly, so very blindly, Loki, without your guidance," she said with a slow shake of her head. She attempted to rid herself of the impression that the topic of the conversation was something that was set, that was already agreed upon; she tried to think of it as still mere hypothetical speaking. She was but experimenting, trying to learn what she could; even if, ultimately, she chose to go against the magic, she clung for what she could know about it, to those bits and pieces that she could acquire, that would stay with her, no matter what happened.

Loki: He arched a brow at her. "How unfortunate," he replied, "But I shan't promise to spend the rest of your lifespan teaching you magic..." he muttered, "Unless you should like to be bound to me in such a way, which I quite frankly doubt."

Luna: "That makes two of us.." she said quietly, his words stirring the thoughts in her mind. Would she be able to withstand such a man for the sake of learning something she has so yearned for for as long as she could remember? To withstand consistent pressure and fatigue and wariness, even fear, as a price for the knowledge that she sought? Certainly, she could tolerate him for a certain amount of time, but there would be limits to that, ones that, perhaps, she could not cross.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like it, do leave a kudos to show it ^^ Feedback is always wanted!

Loki: He smirked. "Very good, it is settled, then," he replied proudly, knowing that she still had neither confirmed nor denied the fact that she accepted his offer. If he could only find his way through her mind to make her believe that she had already accepted… He was getting desperate, though he knew he needed to cease acting upon such desperate measures, as it will only land him further into the hole he had already buried himself in.

Luna: She blinked. "Nothing is settled, _dear_ ," she said, stressing the last word as a mockery of his own mockery, when he addressed her as such. She did not wish to admit to herself that she was very much so drawn to the entire concept, his offer so very appealing.. A small part of her mind whispered to her that she could, ultimately, go against her own words and report him either way. She would not promise him anything, and even if he did hear some sort of a promise behind her words… He should expect betrayal. She didn't want to accept the fact that she was quite close to, in fact, settling the matter.

Loki: He rolled his eyes. "It may as well be," he replied, "Why else would you ask such questions? Why else would there be such hope in your eyes? Do not tell me you wish to _reject_ such a matter?" he said, acting as if that had never been heard of. "The only chance you shall ever receive, I daresay, unless, of course, dear _Thor_ wishes to somehow bestow his oafish knowledge upon you, all because he is _such_ a _wonderful_ protector of your kind," he said with a bitter laugh. He shook his head, then. "No, _dear_ , that simply cannot do."

Luna: Her eyes narrowed slightly as her brow lowered. "Tell me, Loki, what is it precisely that you ask of me, in return?" she asked directly, wishing for some matters to cease hiding and come out in the open, where she could see them, take them and weigh them. She did not want to reject the matter, no, but his offer conflicted and made clash many things within her to the point of spilling over the brim.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes in return, "What do you believe I ask for in return?" He replied sarcastically, as if it was the most obvious, "I do not wish to be handed to the Asgardians to be slaughtered or tortured until I might as well be dead... I wish to be free of the dreaded, wretched realms that are Midgard or Asgard," he replied spitefully. "And I ask that you not go running off to your petty organization and telling them all about what you have learned."

Luna: "And you do not want to remain on either of the realms? Where are you going to go?" she asked slowly, a slightly confused expression flitting across her face for a fraction of a second. Perhaps he would be absent from both for a while, but what is to say that he'll not return with an even larger army than the time prior and try to conquer either, once again?

Loki: "Anywhere but both realms," he replied, shrugging slightly, "I shall travel Yggdrasil as I once did in my youth..." he sighed, looking at her, his expression edging on desperation, "I have been worn thin for both realms..." he replied tiredly, looking into her eyes, his lids heavier now in the thoughts of everything that had passed.

Luna: His words now brought on the possibility that perhaps, all he wished for was freedom for the sake of freedom, for the sake of a break from everything he had experienced lately. It was not entirely impossible, she mused silently, that he was just... Tired. There was a small spot within her that wished to believe him and all he said, that wished to pretend, simply, that he was not lying, that he was not manipulating and twisting to who knows what purposes, that his intentions were not malevolent...  
And what a glorious gift he would give her in exchange for such freedom of his... One has to preserve themselves, his voice sounded in her mind. What would be of her if she did, indeed, come to an agreement with him? "I see," she murmured. "It would be difficult, running so, no? There are those who would follow you, if I am not mistaken."

Loki: "Indeed," he replied wearily, a hand running through his hair as he leaned forward in his chair, looking at her curiously, wondering if she now accepted it. "I daresay I shall always have some sort of... Permanent shadow..." He shook his head, looking down to his hands eventually as they folded in front of him, "But it is a chance I am willing to take," He muttered, wondering if this was what was buying her into such a deal. He was hardly lying to her... He truly wished for some sort of peace, be it alone within the branches of Yggdrasil or elsewhere.

Luna: Fleeing in such a difficult manner would be pressing and stressful to the very core of one's being, but perhaps it was easier - better, even - than being jailed. Or tortured, her mind filled in, following his words from before. Were she to help him, it wouldn't be precisely direct helping, one part of her mind attempted to convince the other. Perhaps, if all was developed properly, she would not have to live with numerous people and their disappointment in her; only with herself would she have to live.  
She drew her knees to her chest and she pressed her forehead against them; she felt so very split, so very conflicted, as if she was suddenly two people sharing one body, and arguing so fiercely and so loudly in her head that she could hardly stand it.

Loki: He blinked a few times as he watched her draw into herself, as if being tortured by her own thoughts. It almost reminded him of himself, being surrounded by such torturous conflicts within... It had been a recurring circumstance as of recent, as if two people were fighting for one body, each of them extremes of the other. "I do not wish to lower myself to beg or demand your help," he added after a good long while, "nor do I wish to harm you, but if you peacefully agree, then I shall make sure you shall not suffer in return for such a deed..."

Luna: After the silence stooped down much like heavy fog, she listened to him speak through it quietly, and she did not raise her head for the longest time after he had been done speaking. When she was not looking at him, when she excluded everything else but his voice and the words which it carried, it was almost easier to believe him. There was a tinge in his voice that tugged at her so, but to that thought, another one responded sardonically that it, too, could be a simple act. Anything could be, as far as he was concerned, both of the people inside of her knew, and it seemed that it would be up to her to decide just what she will believe and what she will not, which was inexorably dangerous, and could prove to be reckless and absolutely wrong. Not to mention the fact that she could hardly agree with herself.. How could she decide what was right…?  


Her forehead rubbed against her knees as she shook her head almost helplessly before looking up to meet his eyes, the ends of her eyebrows lowered in what could have appeared quite sad. She kept silent, not knowing what to give him in terms of words and in terms of actions. The feeling in her eyes flickered from debilitated, to determined - which would fade out almost in the same instance in which it appeared - to infuriated, to indecisive, to emphatic, to so utterly confused.

Loki: He did what he thought was best, which was to remain silent. His words had been filling her mind since the moment she awoke this morning, he was sure of it. Now, it was only justified to let it fester within her mind, convince her that that was the truth, which it was almost entirely. His shoulders sagged slightly, waiting for such an answer. His fate very nearly rested upon her, and in any other circumstances, he would have taken his advantage and ran away with it, but he could not in this one. He could not be followed for as long as he could not transport himself elsewhere. He pressed his lips together and waited, meeting her eyes whenever she looked up into his. He tried looking distant about this, not as desperate as he was feeling at that very moment.

Luna: She wanted almost desperately to be safe from most, if not all the consequences that would follow if she decided that she would help him; she wanted the protection that he claimed he would ensure. But how could he, if he would not be around for long enough to maintain that safety?

She didn't notice her fingers clutching to her own shins, almost growing white from the force. The mixture of everything made her want to crawl into a secure hole and be excused from anything and everything she had to do, and simply refrain from acting any which way. She could not possibly give him a concrete answer momentarily, as she could not give one to herself, in the first place - she could not be definite, for her mind skipped from one option to the other, one decision to the other.

Loki: He remained silent, wondering if she was trying to convince herself out of it, after all he had worked up to in convincing her to agree to his terms. He pressed his lips together as he waited, looking straight ahead into the dull fireplace, waiting. If he had promised to make sure her life won't end at the end of helping him, why should she worry? Why must she question everything he says?

Luna: Each time she met his eyes, she encountered an expectant look gazing back at her from those green depths. "I.." she began, then had to clear her throat. "I don't know," she said almost inaudibly. There was a question of 'why' in her head, around which everything revolved, in a way. She wondered if she waited, if it would get any better, any clearer in her mind - if some more time given would aid her in coming to a final conclusion. If she took more time, and if that time consisted of such tears and contradictions in her, it would not help matters any, whatsoever. It would only frustrate her and pressure her until the point where she gave in to either one or the other; oh, but she feared that such pressure might lead to her helping him, that the more it applied, the further away she would drift from denying him.

Loki: His shoulders sagged at her reply, considering the moment she opened her mouth, he had expected her to finally decide. He narrowed his eyes slightly, peeved that she would be so very indecisive. It was very near to angering him, his patience wearing thin, needing to know that he was going to survive, that he would not be simply handed over to Asgard without him having a fighting chance. He sighed heavily, his expression a mix of emotions, "Luna," he muttered pressingly, "You have my word," he replied, "A word that I shall not break, and I swear it. If I can leave... _Seamlessly_ , I shall make it look as though it were not your fault in the slightest."

Luna: She felt as if he continued to persist and weigh down on her in such a way, she might break. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, almost grabbing fistfuls of it in the process. "Loki.. Please.. Please, give me a.. a day, _some_ time, to think this over," she looked up at him pleadingly, looking positively distressed.

Loki: He contemplated what she said quietly, knowing that if he was going to make an escape, it would not be any time soon. What would happen within a day that would stop it from happening? Reluctantly, he nodded, his eyes narrowing, knowing that it would still give him time to convince her. "Very well," he replied.

Luna: A short exhale escaped her after he had conceded, glad that she wouldn't be forced by anything more than her own mind, for now. She nodded and gave him quiet thanks. Then, she rose, feeling slightly lightheaded and dazed, as if the thoughts took a toll on her body, as well. She turned and started towards the stairs, her hands interchangeably curling into fists and loosening up; she hoped that he would not follow - all she wanted to was to curl up and try and make some order of it all - she did not think she could endure his eyes upon her any longer.

Loki: Loki watched as she walked up the stairs to go to what looked to be her room. He knew he could still not trust her, considering she could very well turn on him at any moment. He waited until he could hear the door to her room close shut before walking up the stairs, listening for any possibility that she would just give up and call S.H.I.E.L.D, telling them of his plans to escape... He was so very used to being betrayed, to being deceived, and it was only justified, as he was usually the one to do such a thing, but some shred of hope wanted to believe that she won't... That he could at least trust one more person before never having to trust another being again.

* * *

Luna: Since she barred herself in her room, she did not come out until the following evening. Hunger was dulled, dwarfed by the stressful thoughts that jarred her being and its basis. She felt on the brink of crumbling, a sensation further amplified by the lack of sleep - she was quite dazed as she descended the stairs, her footsteps softer once they reached the rug - she knew she would find him here. Tormented and assaulted by her thoughts for hours upon end, she finally sought him out to give him an answer. The answer was one she knew, somewhere in some remote part of her mind, that she would give, despite all the nerve-wracking duality. It was a simple matter of postponing the final announcement; a simple matter of time before she gathered enough courage to come out and speak with him.

He was sitting on the couch, and she, for the first time, sat next to him, her hands weakly wringing each other in exhaustion. Several minutes were spent in silence, and then she looked up at his slim form, her eyes giving in.

Loki: He had been spending the majority of the time she was within her room contemplating just what he should do with her, what he would teach her when she finally gave in. He did not doubt the temptation was inevitable, that he would even quietly make her agree to such terms by at least granting her a whiff of magic... Even that would cause one to turn away from their normal life, as the magic would beckon the being forward like a lover, a master to its slave that he knew he was. He craved it and he knew she did, as well, she would just have to let go of any precognition...  
He stiffened slightly when she came to sit next to him, his eyes wandering over her body. He arched a brow. "Have you decided?" he asked smoothly.

Luna: She gave a nod, and a quiet "Yes," which was an answer to two questions. She looked at him with tired features, those of one who is just about ready to collapse with relief that the tortures would cease for the time being. She shrunk slightly, finding that whether or not they were sitting on the same piece of furniture was quite irrelevant presently.

Loki: She looked fatigued, he decided in the back of his mind, as if such a decision had taken such a toll on her. Perhaps it would have been easier if he had decided for her. She would not look so tortured... but why should he care? What an odd thought. "And...?" he replied, furrowing his brow, "Shall you accept my offer?" he pressed.

Luna: She wished that he would not press her so for an audible response - he should see already that the answer was written all over her so obviously... She nodded, choosing not to speak, as words could be binding in a peculiar way. She stretched her slightly quivering fingers, gazing down at the empty space on the couch that separated them.

Loki: He looked down at her tiredly, himself, relieved that he would be able to do such a thing. "Very well," he replied quietly, "You realize if you speak of this to your little organization, the deal that I shall not harm you shall be considered null and void, yes?" he asked bluntly.

Luna: She swallowed before looking up to him with pained eyes and another nod. "Yes.." she said simply, curling more unto herself, as if that would keep her safe from him. He _would_ harm her if her decision was anything other than what it was, and he would bend her so that it came, ultimately, to either her injury and quite possible death, or the decision she reached on her own, so painstakingly. Nevertheless, she had to come with terms of such things on her own accord.

Loki: "Very good," he nodded, pleased, "I see you are an intelligent woman," he replied, looking from her eyes back to where he was staring in front of him, to the emptied fireplace. She seemed to know that if she did not agree, she would have been coerced in other manners, but she had a sense of preservation rather than stubbornness, and that was good enough to understand for her.

Luna: She could not even summon up the will to bitterly smile at his remark. This had very little to do with her intelligence, or lack thereof, and more with simple inevitability of it all. She knew, somewhere, that even if his escape came, it would not come easily. He would have many, many people to rid himself of along the way, as she knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. would follow him and track him down yet again, if it came to it. She hoped that in his anger at being unable to regain his freedom, he wouldn't break the deal, himself.

Loki: He sat uncomfortably at her side, knowing this was only the first step to his escape, which _would_ come, he assured himself, as long as she allowed him to do what he wished in finding – by all means necessary – the ways he could possibly make his way, and as long as she played along with it... It would not be simple, no, but he was intelligent, and he would find his own way around such silly technology. "We shall begin today, then," he replied, knowing that the lesson would double as both a way to keep his promise and a way for him to build his own strength back up.


	7. Chapter 7

Luna: She looked up, glancing at first at the window, behind which the sun was already sinking underneath the horizon, and the room, itself, was darkening. Then, her eyes glided over to him, and she shifted her weight and changed her position so that she would face him, her legs crossing beneath her. The mention of beginning renewed the small glimmer in her eyes that managed to show through the thick veil of fatigue and of stress. "Very well," she said, internally preparing.

Loki: He shifted so that he was facing her, but at the same time, keeping his own distance so he would not have to be entirely close to her. He felt around, pulling and tugging at all that he could conjure so as to give her an example when he needed to, or simply practice for himself the act of conjuring. "First, you must recognize what it is..." he began, toying around with the energy, himself, attempting to find it. "Your kind tends to think of science as the primary entity in describing the way the universe works, but that is not entirely so. Your science describes _why_ things happen or function as they do, giving theories and experiments, all of which amount to what you believe to be facts and figures. However, magic answers the question of _how_ things work... It is a separate entity, an energy that has its own desires and needs and it is everywhere your 'science' tends to be..."

Luna: She leaned against the back of the couch, making herself more comfortable as she kept her eyes on his, listening intently. She nodded along to his words, showing that she was listening, very carefully so. She worried, however, that in her present state, she might not accomplish absolutely anything but listening to him, at least for tonight. A small, but very present need appeared in her – she did not want to disappoint. She had confidence in herself that she would, at one point or another, grasp that which he would ask of her, but she did not wish to make a fool of herself along the way.

Loki: He waited to see that she was paying attention to his words, and, indeed, she was. He nodded and then resumed. "Ultimately, magic needs to be sensed before it can be conjured by oneself..." he replied, letting his own source form about his hands, letting it rest there. "It shall feel like..." he paused, trying to think of it, as it seemed to always be there for him, an extension of himself and of his mind, "a separate energy, another being entirely... Perhaps a denser sort of air," he explained, placing his hands in front of him, looking at her expectantly. "Do you wish to try and see for yourself?" He inquired, not wishing for her to touch his hands, but rather the area about them.

Luna: She looked down at his hands, which seemed more as if they were cradling something than extending for her to take them. "I do, yes, thank you..." she murmured almost absentmindedly as she gazed curiously at his hands, though seeing nothing _but_ them. She extended her own hands gingerly until they were quite close to his own, though contact lacked. With tentative motions, she hovered her fingers above the palms of his hands, as if dabbling into a small pool of water, though, to her dismay, the air felt much like it always did. Her brows lowered as she watched, unblinking.

Loki: "Concentrate, Luna," he pressed, trying all he could to strengthen the magic and not crumple under the magnitude of the pain he was experiencing. "Close your eyes, if it helps... Feel nothing but the energy that I hold in my hand," he elaborated, watching her intently as she seemed to try to access something she assumed that was going to be there from the beginning. "If you could so easily feel it, mortals would have magic already," he replied, as if it were obvious.

Luna: She nodded, heeding his instructions and closing her eyes, though the frown remained on her brow. She moved her hands in the most minuscule of motions above his, attempting time and time again to locate and feel that which he tried to grant her, building up the concentration as much as she could, given that the circumstances were far from ideal, or even satisfactory. 

Long minutes passed, in which he murmured almost inaudibly every so often, while she tried and tried and tried. She did not let stray thoughts wander into her head, though considering the fact that her mind was not in any fit shape momentarily, that was not an easy task to accomplish - it might have been, otherwise. At one point, a quite cold sensation passed beneath her fingertips, and she snapped her eyes open, her concentration crumbling; in her hands' journeys, she managed to brush her fingertips along the palm of his hand, unseeingly. She retracted her hands, looking at him slightly apologetically.

Loki: He tensed at her sudden touch of her fingertips, shocked at the sudden warmth, as if he was being electrocuted. He widened his eyes and looked up to her, before closing his hands and placing them at his sides. "Perhaps now is not the best time, hmm?" he asked, tilting his head to the side as she did not seem to be fully able to concentrate in such a way.

Luna: In the back of her mind, she wondered at just how cold his skin is, even to the briefest, lightest of touches. The way he flinched away from her own touch led her to apologize to him. "I did not see, I am very sorry…" she murmured. "I.. I'm so very tired, Loki," she admitted, leaning further against the couch, as if for support. "I did not sleep and I'm unsure if I'm in any shape to accomplish anything right now," she explained as she played with her fingers.

Loki: He sighed and then nodded, disregarding her apology for touching him, figuring this to be understandable enough... He only hoped that she would not continue down this weary path, so he may fulfill his side of the bargain in due time. "Very well," he replied quietly with a short sigh. "Then you shall rest..."

Luna: "Tomorrow, I will be capable of more," she nodded to emphasize her words. "But would you mind telling me more of magic?" she asked with a hopeful hue in her voice and an expectant one in her eyes. "How did you first come across it?" she asked testily, making herself more comfortable, wishing to listen.

Loki: He looked at her narrowly, deciding that she was only wishing to know more, that it would suit her well to know his history with it, lest she figure him an uncomfortable teacher. She looked as if this was only to be expected, that he grant her this small detail of his life. "Through books, naturally," he replied quietly, "I came across it in the library in my youth, and I would not put it down until I finally learned all there was to be learned from it," he explained, "I eventually received lessons from other sorcerers, but even they were not able to keep up with the pace in which I wished to learn such things... Many say I was born with the skill."

Luna: A faint smile touched her lips as she leaned her head against the back of the couch, looking at him, listening to him, grateful that he acquiesced. "Then I should really be glad I have such a skillful talent for a guide…" she said honestly. When given thought, it was easy to come to a conclusion that there could hardly be anybody more suitable to teach her that which she wished to know, because from what she gathered, there was hardly one more powerful and savvy of such matters than he.

Loki: He nodded. "That, you should," he replied proudly. If there were any matters within his life that he should be proud of, it would be magic. Many have came to fear his power in his youth, even, dreaded the fact he was quite intelligent in such matters... It scared the Asgardians that the darker prince should be more powerful than the Allfather.

Luna: She wondered whether he thought that she could come to grasp the magic at some point or not. If his loathing of her kind was to be any indicator, he most likely doubted her, and was only toying with her for the sake of his own well-being. A small doubt appeared in her mind. "Loki..." she began, "You really did extend magic towards me, right? You weren't just giving me empty air to pull my leg?" she spoke sheepishly.

Loki: He laughed at that. Of course she would come to assume that he was merely lying to her, that the possibility that mortals could come to hone magic was all a big joke he shared with himself. He laughed again and shook his head, finding it comical that she would assume such a thing. "I do swear... I was not lying to you, Luna," he replied, regaining the small bits of magic he had pulled from his surrounding area, allowing it to take a denser shape, showing the lightened bit of air about his fingertips, "It has been with me since before you came downstairs," he replied, holding his midsection.

Luna: The smallest of blushes appeared on her cheeks as he began laughing at her words, though her own smile grew slightly. "Very well," she said, attempting to chase the sheepishness out of her voice, as she did not want it there. She believed him, strangely so, and at the sight of the air about his fingertips shifting, she unthinkingly reached out and took his large hand in both of hers quite gently, her own fingertips touching the air tentatively, but with the excitement reminiscent of a child's. She was so very fascinated with each and every show of magic that he gave, and she could hardly restrain herself from attempting to get in any sort of touch with it.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes as she took his hand quite suddenly, her warm hands pressing into his much colder ones. He stiffened, noticeably so, as this was the second time she had touched his hands, his eyes widening in a sudden flush of panic, but he attempted to let it pass, as he did not wish to look like such a fool who is terrified of a mortal's touch. He shuddered and carefully moved his hands away from her grasp, without destroying her sudden bout of curiosity.

Luna: It was not until his hand froze quite rigidly that she understood her actions. Then, she slowly replaced her own hands in her lap. "I.. cannot believe I did that, I'm sorry," she said nervously. "I just… saw it and I wanted to touch it and I did not think. I apologize, truly," she said a little more confidently by the end of her sentence. As her eyes flitted from one thing to the other, they landed to his midriff, and his other arm that was wrapped around it. Her expression softened. "It hurts you whenever you wield it?" she asked quietly.

Loki: He waved her apology off briefly, not thinking too much of it, as it was but a mere fixation, rather than some sort of attempt to harm. He nodded at her last question. "That is part of the curse... I am not technically supposed to be able to wield it, but I have found my own way around such a barrier... Magic comes to those who desire it, no matter what I am placed in..."

Luna: She nodded in response. "So it takes just a tiny bit more than mere concentration, hmm?" she said musingly. She knew now that it hurt him physically to even teach her, which made her just a little more sure of the entire ordeal - certainly, he would hone the magic in any case, but one of those cases was to teach her, and that was a good fact to know. There was, however, more than just a tinge of worry within her - despite of the pain, he managed to guide himself back to magic, or guide it back to him, rather... Such a display of power was slightly unsettling in the given circumstances.

Loki: He shrugged slightly, inhaling deeply before attempting to move his arms away from his abdomen, "Resistance to pain," he replied before hastily replacing his arms about himself as the stabbing pain seemed to continue even when he slightly shifted. "A strong desire, perhaps," he added, leaning back upon the couch as he tried to take in large breaths, in order to regain any sort of composure.

Luna: She watched him for some time before it occurred to her that, perhaps, he is not fond of people watching him while he is in such a state, which she guessed was simply natural for most. She looked away, though she could not help but wonder why he responded to her touch in such a manner - there was more than the apparent disgust, she felt, that made him twitch away so, stiffen and refuse... And why was he that cold? "You are keeping to your part of the bargain, regardless of the pain. I appreciate that," she looked further away, in order to give him some freedom to recover.

Loki: He sighed heavily, trying not to let the pain influence the fluency of his speech. "I suppose we all need at least one person to trust, yes? Even if they can never seem to trust you..." he murmured, even though that was hardly the first reason why he would grant her such a thing, but it was part of it. All he needed was to earn trust in one person upon this realm, and all should be taken care of. The rest would continue to hate him as much he tended to hate himself... But that should hardly matter. He rightfully earned their hatred and distaste. Who was he to contradict such a thing?

Luna: She nodded musingly. "I did not know that you wished to trust me..." she said in a quiet voice; obviously, some of it was needed to come to an agreement to which they did, but taking into consideration the nature of the agreement and the fact that he could have simply forced her into it, in such a case, trust might not be mandatory. And momentarily, she was clearly trusting him enough to speak in such a way to him. She shifted her weight slightly uncomfortably, though her eyes wandered back over to him, wishing they would see through him, wishing she was able to discern his words for what they were.

Loki: "This would be... simpler, if I could," he replied, his voice as heavy as he seemed to look. "But of course, trust works on both ends, if I am not mistaken... So perhaps this shan't work as simply as I thought it might," his voice was weary, "But I should only be used to that... How piteous..." he added on.

Luna: "Ah, yes, it _should_ work on both ends, but more often than not, it is not a thing of mutuality," she said, her voice taking on the fatigue that has been filling her for quite some time now. "And things seldom work simply, I'm afraid," she added after a little while. She kept silent and hidden away the fact that she would like it very much so if she could simply give in and trust him - he was right, it would make matters much simpler. But too many things were at stake for her to just place such a thing in him.

Loki: He sighed, nodding. "Indeed," he replied, his eyes low and weary over such matters. He wished that she would come to terms with the fact that he only required her to make his escape, to make his life peaceful once again, but she was so ready to doubt every word that left his lips. Rightfully so, of course, but it would not help either of them.

Luna: She began toying with her fingers again, and a thought escaped her before she could stop it. "What if I fail to grasp the magic before you are gone...?"

Loki: He looked narrowly at her. "There is more than enough time to do so," he replied assuredly, "If not... There is not much I can do about it."

Luna: Her heart began creeping down into her gut, which was twisting, itself. If she failed to grasp it, then she would have allowed him to escape for practically nothing. She began wringing her hands slightly again, as determination rose in her to comprehend and take hold of the magic as soon as she could. She did not want this to turn into a vast, vast disappointment. "I can't just… not grasp it…" she muttered more to herself than to him.

Loki: He furrowed his brow, shrugging. "It may be physically impossible for you to," he replied quietly, "But again, it may not be. It is not as if I have records to prove such a thing. We shall see, yes? As I said, you may very well be the first mortal to prove or disprove such a thing, or, simply, the first mortal to attempt to." He could care less whether she could or could not... He was curious, yes, but it did not affect him. If he tried all he could for her to grasp it, and she could not seem to be able to, he would still make his way.

Luna: She shook her head slightly; for this to be so close within reach and then to have a large possibility of it being wrenched further and further away from her... She could hardly bear the thought... With a shudder, she shifted her weight and sat on her knees, her hands nervously smoothing the creases of her pants. "Yes. We shall see..." she said quietly, then looked up at him, contemplating whether they could attempt again, and whether it would be wise or fruitful in any way. She was so very tired...

Loki: He watched her shift uncomfortably at the very thought of the possibility being lost to her... She looked so very distraught at the very thought of it, and he almost... _almost_ felt guilty for giving her such temptation and then the possibility of it being taken away from her so easily, simply because it was unknown to him. He sighed heavily, trying to tear such a feeling away, although he knew that it was cruel to do such a thing. He shouldn't care for what she felt... He should only care for the goal he was trying to achieve and that was it. Mortals should not have such power to begin with...They abuse it.

Luna: She lessened the distance between them with the smallest of crawls on her knees across the couch. "Tell me more," she requested gently, but with determination - perhaps if she knew more about the magic, itself, the more familiarized she got with it in such theoretical terms, perhaps it would increase her chances. And right now, there was very little she would not do to increase her chances. Especially after she traded such knowledge for the freedom of a warlord, she thought to herself in scorn.

Loki: He looked over to her, scooting closer to him, and eyed her briefly. "Magic is a broad subject... Do you have any specific questions?" he pressed, glancing over her.

Luna: "You said that it is like a muscle, that it needs to be built. When one overexerts a muscle, it brings pain. Is it much the same with magic?" she asked, her words slightly blunt - the haze that enveloped her mind due to exhaustion took a toll on the way she shaped her thoughts and words.

Loki: He nodded. "Yes, one can overexert such power if they are not careful," he replied, briefly remembering when he first was learning and became too obsessed with perfecting a particular technique that he eventually landed himself in bed, unable to move for quite some time. "Which is why when you begin learning, you shall start very small and build each time, though only minimally..."

Luna: She nodded in understanding. "I see… I think I might not recognize the boundaries, at first. Not until I cross them, at least," she admitted and shook her head. Her zeal might just backfire and cause her more trouble, but in her mind, it could very well be worth it, if it brought along progress. That is, she reminded herself, if she could even learn to feel it in the first place. The thought brought a small, dejected sag to her shoulders.

Loki: He saw as how every thought seemed to bring a bit of dejection her way, the way her shoulders sagged, the way her lips had the slightest of pouts to them, the way her eyes were downcast. He frowned slightly. "I shall do my best to see that you learn," he said quietly, assuredly, "I swear it," he pressed. He had no idea why he cared so much, but he could see himself in her... He would feel just as dejected if it were he who wasn't able to learn what he wished to.

Luna: She looked up at him, her expression softening, as his words brought mild hope to her, surprisingly. A small smile curved the corners of her lips at his promise. It took her a while to find her words, touched by his strange, sudden ones... It was quite unexpected, and after several moments, she granted him a brighter smile. "Thank you..." she said, her voice streaked with profound sincerity. "And I shall do my best to learn," she said with a more than determined nod.

Loki: Those were foreign words to him... It was rare that anyone had even dared to thank him, much less assure him that they shall fulfill anything on their side of the bargain. His eyes scanned her for any trace of a lie, for any way her words would mean less than they intended, but he found nothing. He pressed his lips together and then nodded, unsure of how to respond to such a strange reaction. "Very well," he replied uncomfortably.

Luna: She watched an odd expression cross his features - he was as surprised by this exchange of theirs as she was. It felt slightly comforting, that, she thought to herself in ghosts of amusement. After his words, silence fell and it was almost becoming pressing. "I am sure that, as long as you're around, I won't overstep any boundaries when it comes to magic. I mean, you… you'll know when to stop me, no?" she said, wishing to make the silence as brief as possible for the time being. A part of her still fought to keep at bay the unwanted thoughts of him leaving before she could do anything.

Loki: He continued to stare at her oddly, unsure he had felt such random, kindly feelings for anyone else in any recent history. He actually wanted to see this through, just so that she would be able to satisfy the most obvious desire within her. "Yes, of course," he replied after a moment of his thoughts turning elsewhere other than the situation before them. "It will do you no good if you injure yourself..."

Luna: "Right you are..." she murmured, her voice almost mirroring his in that slight absentmindedness that implied other thoughts attempting to invade, to outweigh all others… What a strange situation to find oneself in, she thought as she shifted once more, now laying down upon the couch, leaning her head against the armrest, above a somewhat firm cushion. She noticed how strangely he eyed her, and her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she pondered the reason behind that. She seldom could understand anything based on his facial expressions, but now there was one so very obvious drawn upon his features that she could not help but wonder about the cause for it. It was yet another odd thing tonight, she thought, the fact that his otherwise blank lines now contorted in actual expressions that she could, at least to a degree, discern. 

She blinked slowly, and each time it took her slightly longer to will herself to open her eyes. There was a small feeling in the pit of her stomach, much like there has been ever since he came, that she still did not feel safe sleeping around him. Oh, but how very tired she was and how very comfortable the couch was... She focused her eyes on him, however. "Have you visited all the 9 realms?" she asked softly, her voice almost a whisper.

Loki: He shook his head slightly, believing quite suddenly that his expression was most obviously relaying what he was thinking. He blinked a few times. "Not Helheim," he replied quietly, "That realm is for the dead. It is rather unpleasant. I daresay I should visit there one day," he replied, knowing there was no place for him in Valhalla. She looked awfully tired, her questions coming in random now, but she looked as if she were fighting her fatigue.

Luna: She lay on her back, one of her hands reflexively raising to her hair and taking a strand, beginning to twirl it slowly around her fingers, much like she did any time that she was on the brink of falling asleep. "I'd like to travel as such..." she murmured, her words now coming relatively thoughtlessly, carelessly, as she did not choose them as gingerly as she did on other occasions while speaking with him. "What does Asgard look like?" she  
asked, a part of her wanting to simply drift away into slumber with the smooth sound of his voice and the images that he would create with his words.

Loki: He leaned back, seeing that she was very nearly drifting into unconsciousness. He could very well say it was painted green and filled with water, and she would be put to sleep with a fantastical image of an oceanic realm. He smirked to himself, knowing he might as well tell her the truth. "It is a flat realm, unlike your Midgard... With two moons, and a sun so large. Golden, shining and colossal, surrounded by an impeccably blue ocean..." he told, leaning his head back and looking upon the very dull ceiling. "The palace I cannot even begin to describe. Flutes of gleaming gold, taller than anything you may be able to imagine, gardens with every color and shade of it, the Asbru bridge extending for miles into the vast openness of the multi-colored sky..." he sighed, his heart feeling slightly heavy with the fact he may never see such a place again. Not that any of the other realms were not beautiful, but nothing was quite like the Realm Eternal...

Luna: She found it increasingly difficult to keep concentrated, with her eyes open. She thought to herself how she could envision it a little better once her eyes were closed, and with that thought, her eyelids dropped and did not rise again, though she still retained some very unstable bits of consciousness. A small smile appeared on her lips as she thought about it, not noticing the shade that Loki's voice took on the further into his descriptions he went; all that she felt was the comfort of the couch beneath her, the cushion beneath her head, the softness of her hair twirling about her fingers, and the quiet tone of his voice as he drew flickering images in her mind's eye. 

She let out a small sound to show him that she was still listening, almost as an encouragement for him to keep speaking, for she enjoyed it so; the sound bordered on simple satisfaction of the moment, where she was lulling between reality and slumber, with her focus only upon his telling and not upon any pressing issues that would indubitably return with the sun.

Loki: He continued, noticing that she was very near resting. "One can claim that we often see Valhalla, glistening through the clear rise of the morning sun, the rays bounding across each pillar within the grand throne room, the throne, itself, carved in a rich gold. The city of Asgard visible through the open corridor of the throne room, the streets whirring with vendors and markets, the people always peaceful... Until, at least, it comes to war... But even that is in their past after a time," he would not add that both he and Thor had ended such a record time of peace, sparking war with Jotunheim, and in reaction, other realms... He looked to see if she was asleep before he continued on.

Luna: His words were growing slightly more distant, she noticed, and a part of her truly wished to stay awake for long enough to listen to him as long as possible, for the words he wrought and the images he painted were something that would stay with her whether he did or didn't. That part of her struggled to stay alert, trying to focus on his speaking, and almost jerking whenever she realized that she was drifting further and further away from it all. At one point, however, the struggle ceased; her hand stopped with its motions, remaining slightly intertwined with the strands of her hair, her breathing became deeper and evened out, and her mind was lit with the rays of the sun of which he spoke, whirring alongside the vendors and golden glistening and impossible skies.

Loki: He shifted, seeing how she reached unconsciousness. She looked as though she had been attempting to fight it, but failed. He smirked slightly, seeing her at peace, stretched along the couch, her breathing even and her expression less distorted into that of worry or suspicion. It was in that moment he noticed that she was very pretty – not the conventional Asgardian beauty, as she had darker hair, and was relatively small in comparison – but for her own kind... He shook his head, pushing those thoughts away. He was not about to bed anyone, much less a _mortal_ , what with the sudden aversion he has taken to touching any other flesh. He shuddered at the thought of having to be put through _that_ just to have another warm woman in his bed. He leaned into his seat upon the chair, contemplating residing in his own room for the rest of the night, or continue to fetch his magic, but he ultimately resided with simply sitting there... Thinking.


	8. Chapter 8

Luna: Luna sat upon the rug, her back facing the fire burning in the fireplace; the palms of her hands were several inches above Loki's, as she was facing him, concentrating excruciatingly deeply on sensing even the slightest bit of the magic which he previously showed he held. The flames licking their way up the wood reflected upon his features and in his eyes, as he was facing it and her. Her hair framed the lines of her cheeks and of her jaw, and her eyes were closed - she was rested, now, after a night of surprisingly pleasant, long sleeping, and she sat now, trying not to let her frustration grow at the continuing failure which she met. Her back was nearly too warm as the heat of the fire washed upon it, but she tried to pay that no heed, either. There was no other illumination in the room, save for the dull, filthy yellow light of the street lamp peeking through the windows.

Loki: He was growing considerably tired as he continued to try and extend the magic to her, trying to make it as dense as possible so that she might be able to easily sense it, but to no avail. He had tried to describe every possible feeling to her, the senses that she might feel if she simply could let go of everything and concentrate. His insides were rebelling with every moment, the core of his muscles bending inwards. His own frustration was rising while he continued to wait until she had a glimpse of that which she was meant to sense. He pressed his lips together, attempting to withhold such emotions for now. He had to eventually pull one of his hands back, settling it around his abdomen.

Luna: She felt part of the coldness that so naturally exuded from him, regardless of the source of warmth he was near, disappear from beneath her hands, causing her to open her eyes and examine - although she should have resumed with focusing. Her eyebrows drew slightly together at the sight of him clutching at his stomach once more. With the lightest, briefest of touches, she lowered his other hand, as well. "Stop… Rest for a little bit, okay?" she said quietly. She felt guilty, in a way, that he exerted himself so and experienced actual pain while trying to teach her; her wish to grasp and comprehend it as soon as possible was twofold, as she now wanted it also as a manner to ease his sores.

Loki: He sighed heavily, looking carefully at her even as she managed to touch his hand once more, and he pulled it away instinctively, settling it at his side, his brow furrowed in slight embarrassment. "Indeed," he replied quietly, leaning against the couch while sitting upon the floor. He shut his eyes, trying to fend off the pangs of pain, avoid them, though he knew it was ultimately impossible to wholly do so. He doubted he would ever get used to such searing pain...

Luna: After several moments of sitting silently and waiting for any signs of his recovery, she scooted closer to him, and since she wished not to crowd him, she did not approach him much too closely. There was worry lining her features, in the way her lips drew lower, along with her brows, and the area around her eyes tightened... With uncertain motions, she extended her hand towards him, then stopped, letting it hover in place before she retracted it half way back. Even more gingerly, she extended it again, her fingertips coming in touch with his forearm which he used to wind around his midriff. At that moment, a thought crossed her mind how she truly hoped that she would not startle him in any way. From the tiny bits she managed to gather, she noted that his flinching away from her was not always of his own accord…

Loki: He could feel the familiar, warm fingertips along his skin again, and he jerked slightly, but not enough that she would cease continuing trying to touch him, his eyes darting from her own to her fingers upon his skin, a sudden flash of panic hitting him. His eyes widened slightly, but he regained his composure as fast as it had left him. He tried to retain some sort of calm, not wishing to look as though he were frightened by a mere mortal's touch. He swallowed thickly, trying to wear down on the initial shock, grow more accustomed to such a warm touch.

Luna: Once she felt his flesh twitch beneath her touch, she moved her fingers away the slightest bit, her eyes searching his for any indication of why his reactions were the way they were, and if he would mind if she repeated the motion. Then, slowly, she replaced her bare fingertips upon his arm. Not breaking the eye contact, save for blinking, even more slowly she moved her hand closer, letting the rest of her fingers now rest on his skin, and then finally, her entire palm was cupped gently on his arm. She waited, and she waited, for his rigidity did not seem to ease up very much, and she contemplated whether to simply retract and replace the distance that he so meticulously kept between them previously. Nevertheless, her grasp tightened lightly and for but a moment, giving his arm a small squeeze; she would wait until he decided he had enough and pulled away, himself. Her heart thudded a little more heavily than it usually did as she awaited his reaction.

Loki: He felt the entirety of her warm hand upon his arm as the pain coursed through his body. He was unsure what to do... Why was she touching him intentionally as such? Why was she bothering? He felt his muscles twitch in response, pulling away from her rather immediately when the hand that had wrapped slightly around his arm gave what was supposed to be some sort of way of comforting him. He jerked away from her, his breathing slightly shallow and panicked as he both tried to reclaim his calm and lessen his vulnerability. He frowned. "Cease," he demanded uncomfortably, his gaze narrowing at her. What gave her the idea he was even alright with her touching him without such permission to begin with? Silly, mortal girl...

Luna: Short disconcertion flashed across her face and was gone; she gave a single, small nod before she acquiesced and retreated silently, moving closer to the fireplace and further away from him. She expected a reaction precisely like this one, but she was disappointed nevertheless. _Why_ did he react like that to a thing as gentle as her touch was? Perhaps that was the issue, that it was far gentler than he would have liked? Perhaps he simply shied away from any contact that could have been deemed close in any which way, though that, too, made her wonder _why_. Countless possibilities swarmed in her head, each more ridiculous than the other, yet all plausible to a certain extent. Nevertheless, she would comply for now, as forcing was hardly going to accomplish anything, she knew, but the curiosity tugged at her, still.

Loki: He sighed in what felt to be relief when she finally scooted away from him. His shoulders eased and lowered as he tried to wait out the rest of the pain, his arm loosening around his abdomen. She looked confused as to why he did not wish to be touched, and somewhat... disappointed? Why? Why should any of that matter to her? The fact he was tortured until any and all touch from other beings sent him into memories of what had occurred, sent him into pain and distress... That was something he was not about to share with another... Especially not some mortal girl. He despised everything in that moment, wishing that what had happened to him, hadn't. That he could have just died in between the branches of Yggdrasil…

Luna: "Whenever you are ready..." she murmured as she closed her eyes, wishing that mere being in his presence did not incur so many thoughts to writhe about in her mind restlessly. It was turning concentration into a task almost impossible. She took a deep breath, shifting her weight until she was comfortable enough to keep the position out of her body out of her mind, along with everything else. She was irritated that she would let thoughts of him enter her mind so freely when she was trying to focus on something infinitely more important... She knew that there should be no room in her for irritation, either; there should be nothing, nothing but the pure opening to accept such a sensation which he tried to lead her to. Why he did not wish for any contact besides the verbal one was not her business, and it should not be as important as the magic that she was yearning for. His issues and his slights were his own, and they will remain his own after his escape, if it came to it. She didn't know why she put herself into that equation any further than for the sake of what needed to be done.

Loki: He nodded briefly, his head blocking out the pain of what was about to occur as he extended his hands once more, finding the energy with relative ease, building it up so that it may be of use to her. He was unsure how many tries it would take until he proclaimed this entirely useless... Mortals were, perhaps, simply not meant for magic. But he had to keep trying, to fulfill his side of the bargain, to continue and find some means of escape, as well as her trust. "Try as hard as possible to clear your mind," he instructed. "Focus to feel with your hands what is there in mine own, that is not normally there."

Luna: She nodded, keeping her eyes closed so as to put more use to senses other than her sight. With another breath, she her hands replaced themselves above his own, as she let the silence that surrounded him become the silence in her mind, as well. Her fingers moved in the slightest of manners as she attempted to seek out that which he held; after she knew not how long a time of blind searching, she began feeling faint traces of what she thought was the magical energy stored in his hands. Her heart almost skipped a beat, only to compensate for it with several quickened ones, though she tried to the best of her abilities to not spare a thought for that occurrence. She swallowed and willed herself to remain in proximity to that which she hoped she was truly sensing and not simply imagining...

Eagerly, though carefully, not wanting to lose its traces, she moved her hands in what she thought was closer to it - closer and closer she did go, following desperately the vague threads, with each second feeling them with increasing certainty and excitement. It felt so very peculiar, as if the air was of a different quality than it usually was, almost as a magnetic current in the air, _thicker_... She was holding her breath until a short exhale escaped her when she found her hands touching his in her search to get to the magic. "Don't move," she breathed surprisingly calmly for how erratic she thought she might sound, praying that he would not twitch away from her, as she would lose what little grasp she had.

Loki: His arm twitched in an attempt to rid himself of her touch, as it was to be expected, but as he took a deep breath, he attempted to remain still as she had instructed. He could see it in her expression that she had finally come into contact with magic, that she could finally sense something other than the obvious fact that his skin was cold. He refrained from moving for a good long measure, attempting to let her hands prod his own, finding such energies...

Luna: She tried so very hard not to let her emotions get in the way of her long-awaited success, but it was growing increasingly difficult, as a smile touched upon her lips, full of such relief, such pure joy that she was finally making _some_ sort of progress. She could do it, her mind repeated time and time again, as if it was crawling to meet the realization and comprehend it. Up until this point, it had been an abstract idea, one she truly and with each fiber of her being hoped and wished was obtainable, but to in fact come to that point nearly overwhelmed her and almost crushed her concentration to pieces. However, she would not let herself fail now that she's gotten this far. She attempted to sense and take in more of it, and, without knowing what she was to do now that she could at last sense it, her hands cupped around his, as if by taking them, she could take the energy, as well.

Loki: He shuddered as she wrapped his hands around his, gripping them more so… The muscles in his arms would not stop twitching, and it took all within him not to recoil. The look on her face was that of pure ecstasy, and it was most obvious she could feel it now, for it was most likely beckoning her, as well. Gradually, his entire body tensed as he just waited for her to finish, distracting himself with the pain of his abdomen rather than the fact that they were touching.

Luna: "What…" she began breathily, "What now? What am I to do with it?" she asked in a quivering whisper, her fingers caressing along his palms and fingers as she attempted to brush along the energy that she felt, attempting to feel it better on her own, to just.. _keep_ it near her... Her touches were so very light, for she was unsure how to treat the energy, deciding ultimately to keep it as gentle as possible, but wishing that she knew how to grasp it more firmly if it attempted to escape. Her heart was racing at this point, echoing in her head loudly enough to outshine any thoughts that might've appeared that did not concern the magic. In her scramble, in her desire, she did not notice his reactions to her touches.

Loki: He wished to demand her to let go, to cease touching him and finish... But instead, he tried all he could to remain still for her. "You do... you do not have to touch my hands to grasp the energy," he replied, not wishing to break her concentration, but he simply could not take it as it coupled with the pain he was feeling. "Try feeling about my hands rather than the physical aspect of it," he instructed, hoping that it sounded as though it was for her own good, rather than to aid his most obvious discomfort that he tried to rid himself of. She couldn’t hurt him - he attempted to convince himself in what was the most evident truth, but truth seemed to elude him so very often.

Luna: With a small, almost inaudible "Oh…" she let go of his hands instantly, though reluctantly, for she did not want to lose it. She was suddenly quite petrified that she might have overstepped a different sort of boundary; her concentration was wavering, as she clung to the sensation for all she was worth, but she knew that she would be overwhelmed by a flood, a mixture of a little bit of everything, and quite soon. Her hands returned to hovering above his, the feeling fading - still present, but most certainly fainter, the further away from his hands she went. At one point, not too long afterwards, it faded into nonexistence, and she ceased taking it in, for there was nothing for her to take in anymore. Her eyes flitted open as she gazed down at their hands, unblinking, her breathing almost ragged. She then looked up at him, for the first time in a while noticing in just what shape he was; he was almost hunched over from all the pain, on the edge of trembling, and he looked just about ready to crawl as far away from her as possible. Her stomach sank as she took his figure in.

Loki: He shifted when her eyes flitted up to him, as if catching him in his act of weakness. His eyes widened slightly as he tensed and then inched away from her, moving further along the couch, huffing and trying to relieve himself of the sores. "I assume you felt it?" he asked, knowing that it was an obvious question, but he did not wish to direct any sort of attention to the fact that he was nearly writhing in discomfort from her touch.

Luna: The duality came back as she wanted to go after him the more he moved away, to cease whatever it was that was making him act this way, but on the other hand, she remained rooted in place, for he so very obviously did not want her near, and would absolutely not appreciate it if she did do what a part of her wished to. So she sat, immobile, save for her hands which were toying with each other, feeling much too clearly for any sort of comfort the emptiness and the lack of the magic. "I did… I _did_." she repeated, the second time sounding much happier, followed by a smile to match. "I felt it..." she said in what was almost awe.

Loki: He nodded, pleased. So it seemed the mortal will be able to have some sort of ability in magic, and he will be able to fulfill what he promised. "Very good," he replied quietly, letting go of the small bits of it that he still maintained. He could see the amount of joy that was in her eyes when she looked at him, absolutely thrilled. She looked like a small child being gifted a treat. He smirked at his own little analogy.

Luna: "Thank you," she responded with another nod, and though she felt slightly guilty that she was a part of the reason why he was deliberately going through pain. However, it was his own choice, and if he was to be honest enough to fulfill his end of the bargain, she would not be foolish enough to prevent him from doing so. "I just hope that it was not a one-time thing, that I'll be able to feel it again. It felt so... peculiar. I couldn't see anything, but it was _there_ and I could feel it..." she said, slightly dazed and shaking her head.

Loki: "Once you are able to feel it, you should be able to continue finding it where you wish to... One becomes trained to feeling where magic is and where it is not. That is, ultimately, how you summon it. But I daresay you cannot do so just yet, not without intimately knowing what, exactly, you are to look for," he explained lightly, trying to make himself more comfortable by leaning back against the edge of the couch.

Luna: She nodded in understanding. "I see, I see," she murmured thoughtfully as she rocked slightly back and forth in happiness of the success and of finally obtaining some contact with that which she wished for... There was a slightly absent, blissful smile on her lips as she gave it more thought, relished in the feeling and trying to remember every single bit of it, cherishing the ability that she has been granted, and also the opportunity to build up on such an ability, to develop it into something more, something better. "Which means that, essentially, until I learn that, the magic I will receive will be given by you and you alone?"

Loki: He nodded. "Essentially, yes," he replied, seeing the sudden joy in her eyes remaining no matter what he would say. "And until that point, all your knowledge of how to handle it will be drawn and built upon what I grant you," he explained. He knew that that, in itself, would be irritating, for if she were to somehow let go of the magic entirely, he would have to conjure more, and that would cause him a great amount of pain. He sighed heavily, knowing it was inevitable, yet it would also make him stronger. This was working for both of them...

Luna: She tilted her head slightly to the side, a small frown etching itself on her face as her smile faltered. "Why the sigh?" she questioned curiously, though she could assume, already. There was no other way for her to learn magic without his aid and his partaking in it brought him unwanted pain... She would be sighing, as well, though she would try and be the most diligent of students, for both their sakes.

Loki: He looked at her, feeling as though she should already know the amount of pain he was to acquire. "It shall be difficult for both of us," he replied, though he knew he was who brought this upon himself. It was he who wished to escape. He wished to do anything and everything so that he would save his own life, spare him the numerous tortures... But this was just a small root in the path that would try to grab his ankle and trip him, and as always, he would be careful enough to avoid it.

Luna: The statement had her begin thinking of the ways in which the difficulties could be lessened, at least to some degree. It needn't be done, of course, it was far from necessary, but it would not go amiss to find some ways to fulfill each their own part with some more ease, she thought. However, each of her ideas were confronted with a single problem - his stubbornness. She doubted he would be willing to realize any of her ideas, for he'd most likely see no point in it - they would get this entire ordeal over with at one point or another, so why try and affect anything? At least, that was how she guessed he would react... She could do nothing but that. She wondered if she could find a way to get the two of them to a more amiable state, and with that thought, she scooted slightly closer to him. "Loki?" she began, offering him a small, calm smile. "Thank you for teaching me," she said simply, hoping he would take the thanks with no problems.

Loki: He stiffened noticeably, even though it looked as though she had no intentions of touching him. He looked down at her curiously. Why should she thank him? Why would it matter, if he would eventually leave her to her own affairs when he was capable of having his side of the bargain fulfilled? He pulled his brows together, unaccustomed to any sort of being thanking him for such things, especially when they knew it would benefit him in the end. The mortal smiled kindly at him, in such a way that was entirely innocent, no manipulation involved that he could perceive, nothing but a desire to actually _thank_ him. "You... are welcome," he replied slowly, unsure of the words that came out. He felt like quite a fool, unable to return kind actions. And just the other day she was angry at him, ignoring him, and even scared... How tables turned...

Luna: Were she to be truthful with herself, there were piles and piles of reasons why she should not show him any kindness or any appreciation whatsoever. However, once those reasons were cast aside, once everything else was (with difficulty) overlooked, she _had_ a reason to thank him, even if it was simply for bestowing such an incredible ability to her, even though he would not have done it in any other occasion, under any other circumstances, if his own well being was not at stake.  
However, magic was such a thing that was massively important and precious to her, something she had been pining for for many years, in nothing more but fantasies and fancies. But now, he had presented her with it, and that, alone, was more than enough of a reason for her to thank him. Silly thoughts managed to find their way into her mind, such as that she should thank him for, in fact, not murdering her, but she felt that was much too ridiculous to be thanked for. "I... I'm sure you can understand at least part of what I am experiencing right now and just how happy it makes me," she continued admitting slowly.

Loki: He gave a curt nod, indeed knowing the joys of finding such a pure power, an energy unlike any other that can be harnessed and utilized... "I can," he replied simply. He could remember the amounts of joy he felt as a child when he pulled his first prank using magic - causing a goblet to disappear from the hands of a nobleman - the amount of unyielding curiosity when he watched a healer patch up his "brother's" wounds. "I am very familiar with it..." he added simply.

Luna: There was a bitter chuckle sounding in her head as she guessed so very correctly that he would make this as difficult as possible - whether purposely or not, it did not matter. In truth, she did not know why she was even attempting - he found her kind the most vile of creatures to taint Yggdrasil, and he would absolutely not stoop as low as to getting on any sort of friendly terms, not even if forced. She would have to be something entirely different from what she was in order to gain anything even remotely amiable with him. Besides, why should it matter? He would leave soon enough, in one way or another, and there was no other purpose for them lessening the distance between them in any way. Her thoughts both discouraged her and encouraged her, and left her not knowing how to behave.

Loki: He pressed his lips together, looking over to her uncomfortably, unsure of what more to do with her as she seemed to be attempting to be kind to him. For what purpose, he was uncertain, as he _did_ murder a good amount of her own kind. There was no reason for this. She had an odd expression on her face, as if displeased with his response... Almost as if she had thoughts infinitely distasteful or simply, ultimately, uncomfortable. He knew she didn't like it, but he had to know what was going on in her head as he was infinitely confused, himself. "What is it?"

Luna: She let out a small, wry laugh. "Well, firstly, it's the fact that you can tell when something is the matter." She shook her head. "I'm going to start speaking with you with my back turned so that maybe, just maybe, I have a chance of not being questioned," she said in jest, offering yet another smile, though this one less dry. She did not know what his opinion was, as far as truth was concerned; on one hand, being who he was, it was possible that he valued truth when it was genuine and presented with no ulterior motives. On the other hand, however, as such, he would find truth something so very pliable, able to bend to his convenience and easily manipulated and shunned... She could not tell.

Loki: He gave a small smirk. "There are other ways I can observe you, my lady," he replied lightly, seeing as how she was toying with the fact that he had the distinct ability to read people through actions, through inflection, bodily movements, eyes... One such as he would know people better than they may know themselves by way of short observations. "Spare yourself the action," he added with a short snicker. No, there was nothing she could hide from a liar.

Luna: She blinked at the way he called her, then let out a soft laugh, distracted from his latter sentence. "My lady?" she repeated, a question in her voice. Most likely it was but the most normal of ways to address a person on Asgard, but it was new to her, and it brought a smile to her face.

Loki: He raised his brows, realizing that it simply rolled off of his tongue; he had not previously had enough respect for her to call her as such, though what changed now was unclear to him. He smirked, "My apologies..." he muttered lightly."Asgardian manners, I suppose." Though he was not truly Asgardian, he grew up as such and it was still something that had been embedded into him at a very young age.

Luna: "No need to apologize for manners," she said "although that, too, is an expression of manners, so I suppose it is alright." Her smile grew more pleasant, as she truly wished for any sort of a light, easy conversation that might show him that mortals, or at least she, were not too terrible a company. "And the men are addressed as lords, no?" she asked in genuine interest, and she scooted even closer to him; not close enough to damage any reasonable personal space, but they were much too far apart for leading a conversation. Lords and ladies, she thought to herself in amusement - such titles were unused on Earth, which could be considered a shame, she thought, for she found it quite lovely.

Loki: He nodded, not without taking note of the fact she was continuing to scoot closer to him. "Depending upon state of being, I suppose, as there are noblemen and, of course... royalty," he replied quietly, knowing that his title would often be "Prince" rather than "Lord"... He winced slightly at the memory, considering that that, in itself, was a lie, as well. A Liesmith brought up in lies. Fitting.

Luna: She nodded, leaning one of her elbows to her thigh, and her chin to her palm, not ceasing their eye contact; it was, at times, her only way to have at least a vague idea of how he was at the given moment. Of course, other matters helped her infer at least something, such as his body's involuntary movements that he could not hide as effectively as he could the rest of himself. She almost laughed at herself and the situation in which she was - attempting to befriend a man such as him, a man who should be, by all means, impossible to treat as anything even remotely resembling a friend. She had difficulty seeing this working out in her favor, in any way. "That is so very lovely..." she said quietly, musingly. She was glad, though, that he seemed to leave her be, for now, as far as questioning was concerned. Though, as far as she knew, he could have been deducing matters on his own, without any deliberate help or pointer from her.

Loki: He smirked, "Yes, I suppose it is, in comparison to the way you mortals call each other..." he replied, remembering the variety of language that was often used, cursing at each other, using obscene terms to refer to each other. Yes, it was amusing to him, but it was also considered obscene or disgusting on the realm from which he came.

Luna: She glanced at the remaining space between them, which was still a little too large for her liking, but she would not accomplish much by being rash and hasty. So, she sat in place for the time being. A small smirk crept up to her lips. "You were mannerly with me," she said in what sounded like a joking accusation. Certainly, manners would be applied to everyone, regardless, but he has never seen it fit to spend the little energy it took to be mannerly with mortals. She saw this as progress - small as it was, it was still an improvement from the beginning.

Loki: He chuckled lightly."If you were looked upon such as you tended to look upon me, you would have the same sort of 'manners'..." he replied, arching a brow at her, curious of her reaction to such a statement. "I am used to such looks, of course, but it does not help with who you are meant to be, in addition to my circumstances," he added evenly, leaning back, as he saw that she had no intention of scooting any further towards him.

Luna: "Fair enough..." she said with a small shrug, taking her chin out of her hand, as she did not like the way it restricted her jaw from moving entirely, thus hindering her speech. "Such a great guardian I am.." she muttered somberly, shaking her lowered head.

Loki: He smirked. "Something leads me to believe that they specifically picked you not because of the fact you may be fully capable of fending me off... Though there are very few mortals with the power to do so," the green giant, more specifically. "Perhaps for other reasons..."

Luna: She looked up at him. "And I… have absolutely no idea what those reasons could be," she said earnestly. The word echoed in her head - appropriate. Just _how_ was she appropriate, pray tell? She thought to herself distastefully. She couldn't fend him off, truly, which brought on the memory of him claiming that she was so very easily disposable, that her death would not stir her organization overly much...  
She lowered her gaze back to the ground dejectedly. He might have been very right, indeed. Perhaps that was the sole reason why they chose her - all the empty talk of apt matching, it could have also easily been lies. Perhaps they simply needed one who would pretend to take care of him as long as it took them to resolve some issues amongst themselves and take care of the results of Loki's siege.

Loki: He nodded, quite unsure of those reasons, himself, considering if he killed her, they would still be going after him. If what he believed was true, he would be killing almost an entirely innocent woman, as she had absolutely no means of defense, no reason to keep him there, and she was all too disposable... He knew then, with pure reasons behind the sudden decision, that there was no reason for him to kill her. "I am sure this is the last place you wish to be," he replied quietly, "As you mortals seem to enjoy calling it... 'babysitting' a god," he smirked, recalling one of the many terms he had heard the man of iron call the job that many S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had taken when he was brought into the other sorts of prisons...

Luna: The lines of her small face twisted slightly as she considered his words. "Well, it isn't the _last_ place I want to be. Surely, it's no vacation and at times I would rather be elsewhere, more than gladly… But this? Now? It is quite tolerable, at the very least." She shifted her weight slightly as she spoke, though she was very much so sure in her words. "The god in question is behaving quite agreeably for now, so..." she added with a small smile.

Loki: "Because said god is working in your favor as well," he added, in explanation for his "agreeable behavior", though he was unsure why he would engage in such a conversation; perhaps it would warm her to him. He had no intention of becoming close to her, however, beyond the necessary to ease his escape. "Were it not working in such a way, I daresay this would never happen."

Luna: She nodded, his words only serving as confirmation to some of her thoughts. "But the situation is as it is, and the circumstances are, too, so it is functioning well enough, no?" she replied. Then, she looked at his abdomen before adding as a gentle afterthought: "How is your pain?"

Loki: He looked to where she was looking, seeing a sort of genuine care in her eyes. "It is minimal," he replied, just remembering that there was still a dull ache. "I don't believe it shall ever be rid of, so adaptation is the only remaining alternative."

Luna: On one hand, she thought the pain was something he deserved greatly, yet on the other hand... She has felt magic thanks to him, and in minuscule proportions as it was, she felt it, still, and she could not imagine how torturous it would be if each time one wanted to experience something so precious, so magnificent, that such pain would follow. It would discourage a person from using it, with time, she thought grimly. However, knowing him as vaguely as she did, it would not serve as discouragement for a very long time, if ever - if anything, he would persevere out of simple spite and stubbornness. "Maybe, with time…" she murmured, shifting her weight so that she was quite slightly closer to him, hopefully imperceptibly.

Loki: He nodded, his eyes glancing away from her as she had moved slightly, wondering if she was doing so intentionally, as if constantly testing him to see if he would continue to react in the way he had whenever she touched him. It was the price of the vulnerability that he had revealed. "Perhaps," he replied distantly, shifting his own weight so that he was further from her, himself.

Luna: She took notice of his shifting as a response to her own, and she remained where she was, if a little further away. "Are you certain that I am the first human to wield magic? There have been many humans and many lives, _someone_ must have come in touch with it..." she said with a perplexed frown, choosing to steer the topic on her own accord.

Loki: He nodded distantly. "The only way one would be able to access magic is if the knowledge was handed down from a being who innately knows magic in itself, and even if a human did grasp the notion, do you not believe the truthful magic would have been passed along? It would be common knowledge by now, with the way such information diffuses across your realm." He explained his reasoning, knowing that if one human came in contact with it and did not tell anyone else was a possibility, but a rather unlikely one. Power was power.

Luna: She listened intently, such information deeply baffling. "I guess you are right. Oh, but this allows for so many new things... Neither of us knows what to expect from, well, me, and I..." she lingered off for a moment, a truly glad smile spreading across her lips and that familiar glint returning to her eyes at the prospect. "I cannot wait to test, to try, to.. to _see._ "

Loki: He glanced over to her, her tone picking up with yet another bout of excitement, an inevitable joy filling her features. He withheld a small smile of his own, knowing the ecstasy she was feeling. He was all too familiar with it... "And see we shall..." he replied, the corners of his lips twisting into an amused expression.

Luna: "You see, I'm just… I'm thrilled that I can even grasp it to begin with. If I weren't able, I... " she lingered off and gave a small shudder, the thought of magic existing but she not able to wield it and have it...

Loki: He gave a nod as a response, retaining his smirk. "Yes, I see," he replied with a small nod. "We are very much alike, you and I. Both craving such a beautiful power..." he lingered off, looking to her to see any sort of reaction, wondering if she might find this as some sort of insult.

Luna: She furrowed her brows slightly. "You are quite right. But why would you insult yourself like that?" she asked with a smirk appearing on her lips.

Loki: "Insult myself? I believe you insulted yourself by believing I was insulting myself by lowering yourself to the mentality of a 'war criminal,'" he scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Luna: "No, no, no," she smiled, "Your assumptions are all wrong, sir. When it comes to _magic_ , in particular, I've no reason to be insulted by being compared to you," she explained, crossing her legs beneath herself in an Indian seat.

Loki: Another nod. "How do you think I came to doing what I had done?" he gestured to his body, "Certainly not by physical means, _ma'am_ ," he replied, a Midgardian accent attaching itself easily to his voice in order to mimic her use of "sir" when addressing him.

Luna: The name almost managed to distract her from the rest of his statement. He sounded much like captain Rogers, on the brief occasion that she encountered him. The thought made her laugh some more. "Fantastic voice, that," she said in amusement. "But, indeed, you are quite right, once more. I can only hope to ever achieve at least _half_ of your power," she commended him, though her tone was bordering on that of a joke.

Loki: He scoffed, highly doubting even that big a fraction, but he would humor her. "Perhaps," he replied with a brief shrug, seeing that what she was speaking of was all in good humor, rather than any sort of truthful comparison, or any way to admit her feelings towards his actions. He continued smirking, looking at her eyes to prove his suspicions correct and then continued looking in front of him.

Luna: She met his eyes whenever they wandered over to hers, though such a thing was not frequent - unless he wished something of her, mostly, she noticed. However, her eyes were on his facial features, regardless of whether he was returning the gaze or not. "Alright, well, maybe 1/16," she chuckled, though there was quite a hopeful undertone to her voice. "As far as we know, I _could_ \- with practice - become quite skilled." She knew that even though he was biased as far as mortals were concerned, that her words were true.

Loki: "If my observations are correct, I believe you can accomplish whatever you set your mind upon, regardless of what such a thing is," he replied, knowing that it was true in regards to him, in all consideration. He glanced sideways at her, seeing that her eyes continued to never leave his face. "As I would do the same thing," he added quietly.

Luna: "Ah, yes... Seldom as it can be, you, yourself, are proof of your words," she agreed with a nod. Cast aside the fact that his perseverance and his desire not to yield to circumstances were used in a manner one would absolutely not approve of, the fact that he pushed through, nevertheless, was both slightly unsettling, as well as fascinating, and - in Luna's mind - worthy of praise.

Loki: He arched a brow, ignoring the fact that she claimed it was "seldom", knowing he could have very well succeeded, had it not been for the bomb that had been sent in the way of the city he had invaded, and conveniently, had a portal open in which one could send it through... Otherwise, despite the injuries he had been graced with – courtesy of the green monster – he could have easily continued such a battle. He frowned slightly. "Seldom," he scoffed the word out.

* * *

Luna: She hummed musingly. "Those stories, Loki, which you've told me - were they true?" she asked quite bluntly.

Loki: His gaze grew curious and settled itself upon her. "Mostly," he replied quietly, knowing he only slightly bent the truth so that she would come to pity him, though he was entirely sure that did not work in such a way to the very end. "I did, indeed, have a wife." Luna: "Is that the only true thing you've told me?" she asked with her eyebrows raised. Stories were stories, she knew, and what she read in her books could be just as big of an act as that which he gave her, so it did not ultimately matter, but she was curious, so very curious. She had one such as him with her for the time being, and damn her if she does not take the most out of the experience.

Loki: "No... I told you I killed Baldur, yes. And that story was entirely truthful, as he was just as much of a liar and prankster as I was..." he muttered with a slight bit of displeasure. "However, I did not _love_ my wife... She was bound to me most inconveniently and she died because I managed to have both of her sons killed." His voice became quite low, ridden with discontent at restating such a fact.

Luna: She could predict his reaction to her following question, but she didn't think it would do harm to attempt, either way... "She was bound to you? How?" she mused on the fact he called them _her_ sons, and not _theirs_... His family of sorts was not something she supposed would ever, ever function. Especially under the circumstances which he named.

Loki: "We were arranged to marry as a peace-keeping with Vanaheim after a trading war of sorts... Completely diplomatic, entirely manipulated, and altogether the last thing I wished for in my life, as I was young and did not wish to be burdened with such a thing as _marriage_ or a _family_ of my own,” he replied, seeing as how there was very little harm in admitting such a thing to her, as she was inevitably curious, and he would have to have some sort of trust with her, as well.

Luna: She listened, her face a shade darker the more of it he spoke. She could not see him be bound to anyone _now_ , at this age, let alone as younger, as he said... He claims to be young now, she thought - how much younger was he when he was pushed into such an arrangement? "I see..." There was a frown on her face as she recalled reading of a war between the Aesir and the Vanir, at some point. However, this fact was never familiar to her - at least, she could not remember reading it anywhere. Sigyn was depicted as one so, so very loyal, one of the most delightful Vanir to ever have existed... She had always assumed that the relationship between her and Loki was agreeable, at worst. Her eyes grew slightly distant as she thought, looking through things more so than at them, every once in a while focusing her sight back to Loki, as a simple way of amplifying the experience and the news which she received. "Was she as unwilling as you?" she asked, having some trouble comprehending.

Loki: "She was not," he replied simply. "She was very... good to me, more than I deserved... She remained at my side until the day she finally passed of her own choosing, still, so very young, so very innocent. Not even when she bore the children were we ever what could’ve even slightly been considered a family... We were content – for a short while, at least,” he explained, seeing her confused expression. No, Sigyn lived up to her name of fidelity... "I regret what I did to her. What she was put through because of me..." he shook his head, lowering it slightly, as he could still see the look in her eyes when she told him she loved him, the image growing into the altered look when she told him he could never be loved...

Luna: Luna's head lowered, as well, however slightly, and she began wondering at the way the words managed to pluck at her being... So very slowly, as if scared that he would react like a magnet and simply back off some more, she scooted closer. She did not wish to touch him, concerned that it might not be perceived at all as any sort of comfort; perhaps her mere presence might bring some, though such a thought was not empty of doubt, either. She didn't know which words to give him, and she murmured almost inaudibly: "I'm sorry", as it managed to relatively summarize all that she wished to express.

Loki: He felt her come nearer, but he was nearing the end of the couch. He simply leaned back and slightly away, not wishing to be driven away because of her impending closeness. "The past is the past, I do not wish to linger upon all of my regrets..." he replied quietly, his eyes looking warily towards her before looking back in front of himself, his hands folding over each other.

Luna: She nodded, remaining silent for several moments. He truly was worth of pity now and then... The attempt at a family failed so very miserably, and now he was in such a situation that the prospect of ever having one to love, who will love in return, with who he might get to share his existence for at least some time seemed very close to impossible. The chances of him doing right by another wife, another family were almost nonexistent. There was a chance that he did not wish for another family, in which case the situation was not entirely horrible, but otherwise? She sighed gently, the thought reflexively bringing her hand upon his wrist, giving it a light brush with her thumb, for such a short moment before she pulled away that his reaction could be nothing but belated.

Loki: He glanced immediately to her thumb against his wrist, slightly taken aback by the sudden, brief contact, but it did not last long enough for him to find that it was uncomfortable in any way; however, he eased his wrist away, so that she may not be able to reach it again, though he doubted she would stop trying to touch him. "Must you?" he asked, his brows knitting together in slight discomfort at her constant desire to be close to him, as if he was one who needed such a thing, much less one who would spark any desire in another to touch him. The latter case was such in his earlier years, yet now… Regardless, she continued to do so no matter what reaction he gave her.

Luna: She frowned, averting her gaze and directing it at the ground, instead. She scooted away and shook her head consequently, letting some of her hair drape down the side of her face and cover it partially away from him. She kept silent for a long while, until she was at least somewhat sure that her voice would be stable when she spoke. She knew how he reacted to her touches, but now to hear a vocal request from him for her to stop... It stung, unexpectedly so - why hadn't it, before? "I don't, no..." she said almost too silently, holding her own hands. "I'm sorry..." she added in an even quieter voice, one that almost faded away into utter silence by the end of the last syllable.

Loki: He stiffened, seeing that she was obviously made uncomfortable by the fact he had verbally wished for her to cease, as she looked almost embarrassed, and if his observations were correct, hurt. He knit his brows together, attempting to decipher _why_ she would be hurt that he asked such a thing of her. It was not as though she should _want_ to touch him. He didn't want to be touched, and there existed perfectly good reasoning behind it, so why could she not see and accept that? "It... it is fine," he replied, in an idiotic wish to comfort her, though it was not even remotely fine.

Luna: She shook her head and threw a quick glance his way from the corners of her eyes, before returning them to the floor. "It is not. You clearly do not wish for it and I pushed it, I.. I thought... " she kept shaking her head slowly as she spoke, not looking at him, wishing to simply rise and leave from this situation and pretend as if it has never occurred. "I wanted to…" she lingered off again, as thoughts were slightly difficult to mold into words, and those, in turn, difficult to let loose. She scolded herself for being so unexpectedly, so suddenly nipped at by such words of his. He has given her much worse before, and his actions and reactions to and with her spoke just as much of his opinion of her and of the entire situation as his words did. She was ashamed of herself for behaving this way around him. "I'm sorry..." she repeated.

Loki: He furrowed his brow and shook his head, unsure of what to say in reaction to such words. "You wanted to what?" he pressed, knowing that all of the questions would be answered by the words she was close to giving, but never did voice. He wanted to know, he was curious... What did she wish to accomplish by trying to touch him in such a way? He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish what she began.

Luna: She shrunk slightly at his words, not wishing to answer, for she, herself, was unsure of just what she wanted to say. Her thoughts were unclear to her, and it would take her a while, as well as some effort to make some sense of them and manage to reproduce them just as sensibly. She wanted to see if he would continue persisting in his half-voluntary reactions, if her own persistence would come to lessen such reactions of his, if only she showed him that.. that what? She groaned inwardly, coming to dead ends in her mind, whichever way she headed. She remained silent.

Loki: He waited patiently for the answer he wished to hear, but to very little surprise to him, she did not answer, but remained irritatingly silent. He glowered, knowing he should not force her, as it would be unfavorable for both of them. His nostrils flared and he huffed, knowing that he already lost her from pressing so harshly for an answer. A frown lined his brows and lips. "I see," he replied quietly, leaning back against the couch, his head tilting upwards, not wishing to look at her and her apparent irritation with him pressing such a thing on her.

Luna: "I..." she began slowly. "I'm not…" she sighed, trying to set proper order in her sentences. "I would just… like to know why you react to me in such a way. I'm not trying to cause you any discomfort and yet that is just what I am doing and I just… Why..." she said choppily, quietly, partly regretting she opened her mouth to begin with.

Loki: He shifted, feeling as though he should have known that was going to be the question. Why he thought otherwise was beyond him. After several moments spent in tense silence, he opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again, contemplating how he could answer that without embarrassing himself or causing more emotion than he wished. He inhaled sharply before attempting to answer her. "I..." He began stiffly, "It is not you," he said shortly. "It is merely... I, as I seem to be..." he searched for a word, "averted to contact as of quite a while ago. It is hardly _only_ you who evokes such things."

Luna: She wished she could laugh at his answer, as it was just about the furthest from what she expected. Certainly, she knew he would not give her a concrete answer as to the reason, but such phrases she did not expect. If it was not her, perhaps he would let her try and… and what? She cursed at herself inwardly, wanting to say so much but at the same time knowing she'd regret it the moment she took the breath necessary to expel such thoughts... "I'm sorry."

She could not say that she would cease - she would only do that for the time being, but she could not say to neither herself, nor to him, that she wouldn't inadvertently reach out, especially at times where it was simple instinct to her - when he seemed as miserable as he did but several moments ago. It was but something wholly innate to her, this _want_ to comfort.

Loki: "You need not apologize," he replied shortly, not wishing for pity from her, in consideration to what he had been put through after he fell from the Asbru bridge. He would not give her the knowledge of what had happened, what tortures he had been put through in what seemed to be a way to prod at the essence of his very being. "Simply... do not touch me," he replied, sounding to himself as though a child might - or much like he did, rather, when Thor would tease him as a child. " _Do not touch me!_ " he'd shout if Thor poked and bothered him beyond common reason.

Luna: She rose, and then gave him a nod, looking at him quite briefly before making her way up the stairs. "Thank you for teaching me today. Whenever you feel fit to continue, do find me..." she said quietly and proceeded upstairs.

When she came to about half of the hallway, she grabbed a small stool and placed it soundlessly closer, climbing atop it in order to reach a small, hardly noticeable handle upon the ceiling. Then, she pulled it down, so very grateful for it not making any noise at all - the further down she pulled, the more small stairs she revealed, creating a narrow stairway up to the house's attic. She climbed carefully and shut the door behind herself, finding herself in a room so very familiar to her. She had spent more time here than Loki was aware of. The roof was slanted, but not so much that she could not stand straight at any point - however, it might make Loki hunch over somewhat. She lit the single lamp that sat upon the ground; the attic was mostly empty, save for a few cardboard boxes in which she guessed some pieces of the furniture came. However, one of the main reasons she came here was the little window, through which she could see the sky if she laid on the ground in just the right place. Stars were seldom seen, but there were nights where several would flicker, and it would make her feel quite content. Every so often, she had a habit of simply laying there and watching as the moon shifted from one side to another, visible only for some time through the window. It was tranquil, and dim, and solitary. Perhaps it would influence her mind in a particular way where her thoughts would clear with the air and the wind, and she would become as calm as her surroundings. It was as if downstairs did not exist; as if Loki did not exist. She sat upon the ground, knowing that he would eventually find her, if he ever wished to.

Loki: He only nodded in response to her words, watching as she walked up the stairs and then disappeared. He leaned back onto the couch, listening for any further sounds, only to listen to a very soft sound of what seemed to be a door opening. It was almost imperceptible – surely to those with lesser hearing than his, but he continued listening, as it did not sound like her bedroom door. He had heard her go into this particular space several times, climbing up to go into what looked to be another floor of the house, or perhaps a storage area of the house. He was not entirely familiar with the way mortals built their houses, and supposed that the upper level, separate from the second floor, was actually another floor of which he knew not very much at all. He contemplated going up the stairs just to check she was not making any moves regarding his state of being, but did not go through with it, for he did not wish to continue much contact with her for the rest of the night. He laid down upon the couch, finding it much more comfortable than the bed he was given. He folded his hands behind his head as he stared upwards, contemplating why she should care, but found no reasons as to why that should even be an issue. He swallowed and rested his eyes, still alert to anything that should happen, but his mind drifted off elsewhere.

A thought came over him as he continued to drift off into a deep space of consciousness that he dedicated to simply thoughts and plans. There was a limited amount of time, he was safe to assume, until he would be returned to Asgard. He was certain the mortal had not an idea of the time that this might take place, and thus, she would suppose time was sufficient for her lessons. Truthfully, however, there was no such time for her to withhold any amount of learning, nor was there such time for him to teach a being who is innately unfamiliar with such powers. The bargain was ultimately doomed to fail, as a mortal being taught magic was something like a jest upon Asgard, a silly story or thought that young sorcerers would pass between themselves. There was nothing he could do for her, he knew, and there was nothing he _wanted_ to do for her.

He _could_ simply make his run now, leaving her sleeping within whatever room she was in. He jerked up with that thought, suddenly coming to to his surroundings, looking about for any sort of way to make his leave.  
He rose from the couch, his eyes narrowed as he searched the room for her keys firstly, but then figured that she kept them in some sort of place out of his reach. He crossed that idea off of the list, and then made his way to the back door, figuring that leaving out of the front might be too ridiculous a plan. There would be too many eyes watching him, he feared. He surveyed just what was keeping him locked in this accursed house. He worked the back door handle, listening for anything that would signify that it was locked, and when he heard a clicking sound, he assumed it would be a conventional lock, though it was one that locked from the outside rather than in. He would not bother with the lock itself, but rather the hinges of the door, if he could just find some sort of tool...

He moved to the number of little doors then, cupboards and closets, looking for what he believed he saw when he was looking about the house while she was asleep when he first arrived. Placed upon the bottom, there was a small tool box which he opened, revealing what looked to be a tool to undo what Midgardians called screws. He scoffed at this simplicity, wondering about the utter fallacy of items and their tendency to break, which he assumed would be why they just left such things around. He grabbed a decent-sized tool and returned to the back door, checking at the screws of the hinges, starting at the top one, and slowly and carefully beginning to unhinge the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Luna: Luna had attempted to sleep, she truly did, yet minutes passed by, forming half an hour and then a full hour, and sleep still did not come. Before the time rose to fifteen minutes after an hour, she could not stand it anymore. With all the comfort she obtained, she could simply not drift off. She was much too warm, and her mind pestered her to no end - there was embarrassment within her that she had to be so very obtrusive with Loki that it actually came to the point where he had to ask her to stop. Her face burned with heat at the shame and she covered it with her hands, releasing a small groan. She rose, then, unable to bear the buzz in her mind - she'd find a way to distract it somehow... Silently, she left the room and crept downstairs.

One of the lights was on, she could see in the distance, but she did not pay it very much heed - it was not uncommon for her to forget to turn it off. The rest of the house was slightly colder than her room, and it pleasantly refreshed her and helped her mind clear up at least to some extent. She rounded the corner then, with Loki on her mind - more specifically where he was at the moment - when the answer presented itself to her. Her eyes landed on him and his slightly bent form as he fidgeted with the back door, though in what way, she could not be sure, as his back hid it from complete view. Why did she have to keep running into him doing that which would compromise the both of them? She doubted she could turn around and leave without him hearing her... "What are you doing?" she asked from behind him with a pang of anxiety, her eyebrows drawing.

Loki: He should have heard her approach him from behind... He should have, but his thoughts were far too loud; how far he should have to run, where he should go, how he should go about the entire ordeal. He stopped in his actions just when he was very much so close to completely unhinging the door, his eyes slightly widening as he slowly dropped the tool and stood from his knelt-down position upon the floor. He slowly turned to face her, cursing her and everything she implied along the way. He clasped his hands in front of him, his chin tilted upwards. "Finding my leave," he replied simply, rocking back and forth upon his heel once, considering there was no use lying to her. What else could he possibly be doing?

Luna: There was slight incredulity in her eyes as she gazed down upon him. "And… you think that the door is the worst of your problems?" she asked, the smallest of chuckles escaping her, as disbelieving as her eyes, before she could withhold it. She would have considered him smarter than that... The doors would not be so lightly guarded and protected if there were not more matters _outside_ of them that would cause him the actual trouble. However, her heartbeat was beginning to race - she did not think that she would walk into him attempting to escape, though she did expect it of him any day of the week. Her eyes grew slightly wary.

Loki: His own eyes narrowed, not mistaking any sort of chuckle from her. "It was an attempt," he replied bitterly. "How much _security_ could you possibly have upon this damned house, hmm?" he asked, taking a step closer to her, his eyes directly glaring into hers that looked almost troubled, despite the fact she was very close to mocking him.

Luna: Her eyes followed each of his motions as she kept in place, herself. "Enough to keep _you_ in," she retorted. S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't have just let someone they spent so much energy on catching go without sufficient security; he couldn't have believed otherwise, could he?

Loki: He rolled his eyes at her tone. "So it seems," he muttered, "and what is this 'enough' of which you speak?" he pressed, taking yet another step in her direction. "You bargained to help me escape, now what is out there that I cannot pass with enough power, hmm?" His arms crossed across his chest.

Luna: She remained still; she felt as if around a wild animal - should she run or make any sudden movements, it would react and follow, and it would not bode well for her. So, she simply stood where she was, though her eyes did not part from him. It would have done no good to run, either way, if he planned something. "I did not bargain to help you _escape_ , specifically," she said quietly. "As for your question - what isn't?" she replied vaguely.

Loki: Anger built up in him, outraged that she dared defy his words, not to mention the fact she had no plans of helping him. "That was not part of the plan," he said icily. "Do you think I just pass around the very idea of magic to such a pathetic race such as yourself if I do not expect something in payment? I asked for my escape, woman! You shall tell me what is out there that should stop me, or I shall take back any word of protection I promised you." He looked down upon her directly, his eyes ablaze with his lack of patience.

Luna: Her lips pressed together slightly as she glanced away from him for a moment to regain some composure before focusing back onto his green eyes. "There are… many things that would inhibit you, if not stop you entirely. Do you think that you wouldn't be guarded with anything heavier than a door?" she said, slightly irritated, herself, but at the same time worried he might just... "They have ways of keeping you… visible," she said slowly.

Loki: His eyes were then narrowed to emerald slits, his hands curling into tight fists."You have said that before. What ways? Explain them," he demanded, frustrated with the fact he knew such little bits of Midgard, especially of "technology". Its sciences and ways of being were primitive, and he would have to find a way around them if he wished to survive... If not for the damned mortal who would not explain such matters.

Luna: "You cannot step out of that door without alarming S.H.I.E.L.D. instantly," she gave in some more, though she attempted to still keep it as brief and as vague as she could. She couldn't tell him more, especially as there were some manners of which she, herself, was not aware nor savvy. The things that she did know, however, she would keep silent for as long as she could, until he... She shivered slightly, gazing back into his eyes. She never promised him the safest of escapes, and he should have considered just how difficult it might be for him to attempt such a thing. After all, her part of the bargain was to not report him to S.H.I.E.L.D. for his use of magic - not that she would let him escape in return for it. A thought scampered across her mind - how powerful _was_ his magic momentarily? He seemed to be in great pain whenever he wielded it, which would present as significant of an inhibition to his plans as S.H.I.E.L.D. would.

Loki: He was growing impatient with her indistinct answers. "You know more of it," he spat, stepping forward so that she was nearly toe-to-toe with him, looking down his nose upon her, his eyes never leaving her. "And you shall help my escape," he added, "Or you shall pay dearly." His hands continued curling and uncurling as his heart beat furiously in his chest, trying to contain his anger. He would have his way with this, whether by soft or harsh words, it mattered not. She would bend under his will, regardless of power he had, and he knew very well she would.

Luna: She shook her head slightly. "All I know is that they have you tracked and that you cannot leave the premises of the house without instantly alerting everyone..." she bent the truth slightly, her heart thudding heavily, and she looked up at him and attempted to the best of her abilities not to shrink under his loom.

Loki: He grumbled a curse in a language she would perceive as foreign, knowing deep down this was so, but in his desperate mindset, he did not want to believe it. "Then you shall think upon a way I can leave," he demanded. "And if you do not, then I shall do this the most difficult way I can manage... Is that something you would want? In return for my services?" He pressed her, resisting the urge to kill her now in his irritation, but he knew she was just about the last hope he had of leaving peacefully.

Luna: "Of course not," she said, the tone of her voice lowering. She was slowly running out of loose bits and pieces to give to him, so the only thing remaining on her mind was to retain her silence and pray to whomever will listen that he would not force it out of her. A part of her mind murmured to her that there was no other way than for her to tell him, one way or another, and such a thought was further backed up by the fact that she was having trouble scrambling for a solution out of the entire ordeal. Her stomach almost sank as she shut her lips and continued as such.

Loki: He watched as she seemed to press her lips together in order to retain her silence, to not continue answering him. "You withhold information from me. I can see it in your eyes... What more do you wish to tell me if you would so like to mock me freely, hmm? I have been far too kind to you, I think. Perhaps you should like to see for yourself just what kinds of torture I have gone through before arriving here! As you seem so very curious as to _my_ matters. Perhaps you'd like to experience for yourself what it is that might have won me your realm? What I had used to grant me the information I wished for when I wished for it from your _pathetic_ race?" He bellowed, his stronger voice resounding against the walls.

Luna: She could not help but shrink the louder his voice became. Her hands were curled into fists as an attempt to not let them quiver under the loud assault. How she wished it hadn't come to this; why did she leave her damned bed to begin with? Her deprecation sounded just as angry as his voice, and very much so regretful. She averted her gaze for but a moment, as long as it took her to remember just what he did to those people; the glazed, unnatural blue in their eyes, obeying his each and every demand and request, unaware of their actions, completely and _utterly_ not their own selves… She gave a shudder and attempted to look back at him. Could he really stay true to his word, could he really use the magic he now had, to repeat what he did several times before, this time with a new person? She did not even wish to imagine the horrifying possibilities being controlled in such a way would bring about - the mere thought almost had her tremble and cave in.

Loki: Her lack of response, save for that in which she seemed to tremble and stare through her glassy-eyed fear at him only made him more impatient. In an effort not to kill her on the spot, his fist tightened and punched the wall closest to them, putting a hole into the incredible thinness. "Answer me!" he demanded, "Is that what you want, girl?! I shall do that easily. I have managed to do so with hundreds of your kind. Perhaps it is simply better if I make a larger mess and leave your dead body rotting in this house as I should have weeks ago! If they are to come for me anyway, why should it matter? Why should your death _matter_? It is not as though they didn’t consider that an option, otherwise they would have given me someone else to, as you say, 'babysit' me," he lingered off, desperation hitting him hard, while the girl still seemed quite unwilling to give him such an answer. His breathing heightened as he approached her as close as having their bodies nearly meet. "You should be grateful I give you such choices, as I was not so very merciful to the other hundreds of mortals who have perished by my hand! Either you help me escape and you shall come with me, or I shall force you, or you shall simply perish in the least becoming way possible. Make your choice, or I shall make it for you."

Luna: A small, panicked noise escaped her as his fist pierced loudly through the wall, and she jumped, startled, starting to back away hastily. Her steps were backwards as she wished to keep her eyes on him - it gave her the smallest sense of comfort, though it should not have - why would it matter if she looked at him or not? She was openly panicking now, her breathing hitching with the adrenaline, and coming in short and shallow, when it did come at all. Various thoughts touched briefly upon her mind, myriads of ways she could try and escape, but each one of them sure to fail - if the previous occasion was anything to judge by. Still taking steps, desperate to put as great of a distance between them as could be, she knew that any more resistance would be her end. She did not put anything past him, and she could not continue with defying him. Different images flashed in her mind, each one frightening in its own way, things that he might do to her, should she not give him the information he needed. In what was left of the logical part of her mind, she wondered why he was bothering with such vile threatening if he could have simply took her the way he took others and commanded everything he needed out of her. That moment of brief rationality was lost to more anxious, fearful thoughts - she did not wish for the control of her mind to slip from her grasp and to his, she did not wish to be subjected to such an iniquitous manipulation; it terrified her to her very core.

"They're tracking you," she stammered. "They have you mapped out entirely, every single fiber of you is under observation, and if you so much as set foot out of the door, you'll trigger it all and have them here in a matter of minutes." She spoke quickly, breathlessly. "There aren't many ways, if any, for you to leave here undetected." Her voice was getting slightly higher in pitch as he followed her steps the more she backed away. "I don't know anything else!"  
An echo of his voice appeared in her mind, underneath all the whirring - come with him? Why would he want her to come with him? He was planning on _taking her away_? Her mind worked feverishly, trying to come to terms with his words, though she could not.

Loki: He huffed heavily, finding this answer also unfavorable. He uncurled his fists slightly as he took it in. Mapped out? Under observation? As though he were some specimen being kept under some sort of magnifying glass? It would have been better if he remained on Asgard, not kept here like an animal in a display. "There is a way around it," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "You shall find a way around it," he then spoke directly to her, inching closer to her, as if she had any room to refuse. "Find a way or you shall find how deep my threats run." He threatened, his voice avoiding cracking, knowing that if she did not find a way, then he might as well give in. There was absolutely no way about it, as it was most obvious. But he had to keep fighting, he would not go down like they all expect him to... He was not going to bend to such pathetic mortals…

Luna: As he got closer, her hands began to rise slightly, stopping half way, as an instinctive reaction and a way of defending herself, though she might as well have gone without the gesture. It would not stop him. She tried to suppress her quivers and to regain a normal pace of her breathing, though it was hard to come by. She could not find a way around it, not right now, not under such a pressure - she doubted she could do so at all, the more she thought about it.

He wanted her _with_ him? Not once did he ever suggest anything remotely to it, up until this point. He can't simply take her with him, and she can't simply leave everything behind. Oh, no, no, no, he can't do that... The shakes of her head accompanied the thoughts, and once she realized what she was doing, she quickly ceased - he might see it as further refusal. Her mind kept skipping from the chance of him snatching her and tearing her away from everything she has, to what he might possibly do to her if she failed to find a way around S.H.I.E.L.D's systems, around S.H.I.E.L.D, itself. Panic spiked within her once more as she realized that she might not, in fact, be _able_ to find a way - not due to her reluctance, but due to her inability, lack of knowledge. "I... I'll try..." she muttered, hoping it would sate him enough for the time being, though she was utterly unsure of everything.

Loki: He glared at her, waiting impatiently for her answer as he could see her thinking through her choices – what little she had, if she had any sense of self-preservation. She seemed to shake her head in a sort of way to refuse him, and he stood in slight disbelief that she would sacrifice herself for a cause that would mean her death had she refused, but then stopped, as that didn't seem to be her answer. Finally, she gave it, and he slightly backed down, pleased that he did not have to snap her neck and find his own way around it all. "You shall try, as you shall be coming with me," he repeated, his eyes glowering down at her. "If you fail, we both shall suffer. Is that understood?" His tone softened, but the threat behind his words wavered not even minutely.

Luna: She looked up at him, sudden anger flashing in her eyes at the true lack of options she had. "Why? Why am I coming with you?" her hands curled into fists again, knowing that it was far from the wisest choice, to be angry with him, especially when she had no chances against him whatsoever. Her tongue felt as though a separate entity, however. He can run all he wants and he can try to escape all he wants, but why in god's name would he want to bring her? Surely even he had to know that she would be more of a nuisance to him than any help, especially when it came to running away, as she would most likely slow him down noticeably. He would do much better without her on his back. He can't just take her away, she thought to herself again, in increasing aggravation - she had her own life, he can't force her out of it, he can't make her abandon absolutely everything that she has of her life and give it all to him. He can't.

Loki: He smirked slightly, figuring that this wouldn't be obvious to her, considering her situation. "Is it not obvious?" he arched a brow at her, as he coolly crossed his arms across his chest, unaffected by the obvious aggravation in her eyes. "Midgard is not a territory I wholly know, and if you take into consideration the fact that I lack sufficient power to transport myself elsewhere, I shall require such knowledge if I wish to escape efficiently," he replied simply. "And once I have enough power restored that I can leave this dreaded realm, you are free to go on your own."

Luna: Her brows furrowed as a frown came to her face; he did not have enough power, supposedly, which meant that his threats were mostly baseless - excluding the actual danger that he truly presented. She shook her head slightly as her thoughts kept returning to how she would go about avoiding S.H.I.E.L.D. successfully and thus escaping the realization of his threats. But what guaranteed that he would not do away with her the moment she does something to anger him once more, after 'their' escape? Her fists tightened, her nails digging into her palms; just going to bloody use her, then? Take her away, force her into making his escape as smooth as possible and then cast her away when he finished? She didn't know what obscenities she wished to spit at him first. Oh, how she wished she could just smash his smirking face into an unrecognizable mass... Her fear very quickly melted into exasperation.

Loki: He smirked at her anger, knowing that he, at last, had a power over her, one that balanced on the tip of a knife blade. If she did not do what he wanted, he would easily kill her. Yet if he made it absolutely wretched for her, he knew he would feel miserable, as well. "However, I shall continue teaching you, if you so wish it... In repayment for your, ah, sacrifice."

Luna: Magic genuinely was tempting, but did he truly think that it would compensate fully for all she was about to lose? She sighed heavily, covering her face with her hands for several long moments, so that she may reduce her anger enough not to inadvertently spew something at him that she would regret. The consequences were far too dire for her to take any chances with her self-control. Well, she thought to herself finally, if this truly was what awaited her, if he truly took her with him, if she had absolutely no choice in the matter, then at least _some_ thing would be just a few shades lighter than the rest of the disconcerting situation. Once she lowered her hands, she glared at him, wishing that her eyes were something sharp which she could drive into him. Of course, he had a mild idea of just what he was doing with her existence, but the fact that it would all most likely be for naught.. She could not stand the thought.

Loki: He watched as she seemed to try and glare at him, and he only glared back, knowing this was what had to be done, regardless of the circumstances. He would not die in the lack of mercy of the Asgardians, and he downright refused to be hounded by the Midgardians. He crossed his arms and backed away, deciding that she had a good enough idea of what awaited her if she failed. He pressed his lips together firmly as he leaned against the wall opposite of her. "I shall not harm you unless I have good reason," he replied, his tone attempting to be more gentle as he picked up the tool, and began to replace all of the screws into the door hinges.

Luna: She shook her head desperately and gave the most bitter of smiles to his words. "All _I_ have to do is not give you a reason, hmm?" she said, wishing to just laugh like a mad woman at the situation he forcefully threw her in... Seldom had she felt helpless to this degree. There was just about nothing that she could do that would in any way affect the course of her life in the foreseeable future; such a possibility turned into quite a firm fact for her. She looked at him with more than a tinge of sadness in her eyes, as the tables have so very cruelly turned. He now ran her life, tugged at the strings and guided her this way and that, led her to one action or the other. Now she did not know whether to laugh or to cry. Oh, but she would not let him dictate every single thing in her existence; he might have had the upper hand, but she would not let him take utter control.

Loki: He nodded halfheartedly as his back faced her and he continued repairing the pointless mess he had made out of a bout of desperation. "Yes," he replied simply, looking back to her briefly before going back to his work. He was quite pleased with himself... incredibly pleased. He now can rule her, have entire control if he so wishes to, and all because of her wish to preserve herself and his own, matching one. Why did he not think of this earlier? Recently, his wiser decisions have taken place right when it mattered... Perhaps that is just a dependent aspect upon the situation. "If you break _this_ bargain, for instance... or, perhaps, if you purposefully endanger the both of us... Otherwise, I shan't lay a hand upon you, and I do so hope you do the same."

Luna: She furrowed her brow in confusion. "I, lay a hand on you?" she asked in disbelief, wondering if she heard it properly. She leaned her back against the wall, the current event draining her of the energy that she had remaining, and now she stood so very tiredly, using the wall as more of a support than anything else. Her body, too, felt drained, as if she had been plowing a field all day long; fear took more of a toll on her than anything else did, both physically and mentally.

Loki: He raised a brow, turning to face her once more, "You seemed to quick to touch the villain before, who is to say you’ll not have such an urge again?" he replied with another smirk before turning back and finishing the last screw. He leaned against the door, his leg crossing over the one that supported him against it, his arms crossed once more, in a state of total ease.

Luna: Her eyes took him in, and the absolutely laid-back attitude of his, additionally emphasized by his stance made the anger within her stir once more. Oh, but she did so wish to lay a hand on him, a painful one. "Nobody. Do be on your guard," she said ironically. The way they were complete contrasts of one another momentarily, she found very upsetting. He looked as if Christmas had come early, and if he kept up this smugness and this self-satisfaction, she would not hold back on her words. At least those she could use against him, if properly timed and weighed.

Loki: He shook his head, running a hand through his hair, her anger only pleasing him further. "Very well, if you wish to play at that game..." he drifted off smoothly, unfurling his hand in a gesture that he could care less, walking away from the door. No matter how angry this made her, this felt as though it was well-deserved. This was the first time in a very long time that things had finally went the way he wished them to.

Luna: With almost all of his movements, she imagined turning them into something relatively painful; of course, she could do nothing against him, really, but it gave her satisfaction to envision. Her eyes followed him coldly as he walked out, towards the living room. She followed him, then, as well, images floating in her mind of her giving him a good, hard hit. "What if I fail to find a way out?" she asked slowly, as it was quite a plausible option - she didn't know just how things would go and if she was skilled enough.

Loki: "I am sure, if we work well together, we shall find _something_... I, being myself, and you, being a mortal familiar with such science and technology," he replied smoothly, seating himself upon the couch, his legs crossing in front of him, as he leaned back and watched her seethe before him. Oh, how she should know her anger only further pleased him and he leaned back, stretching his limbs like that of a cat, quite nearly purring with his success.

Luna: Luna took a seat on the armchair, facing his pleased smile - if it was going to become constant, that smile of his, it would make it further difficult for her to control what words come out. She rubbed her face, mostly as an attempt to simply wipe off her anger and try and lessen it somehow... She could not define precisely how she was feeling; he had usurped her entire existence - granted, it was possible for that to happen, but she did not find it entirely predictable. And now... She was torn, not knowing whether to simply go ahead with the plan and attempt to devise a manner in which the two of them could make their escape, or to plainly refuse him, no matter what he did, and get it over with. After all, even though he said that once he regained enough power to finally leave Midgard, she would be set free, what she would have left of her life? That much was unknown to her, and she could do no more but guess, if that.

And if he fails to leave Midgard and the two of them are caught? It would not bode well for him, naturally, but how would it bode for her? She is being forced into aiding him, she reminded herself, but there was a previous deal arranged between them that might not be so very favorable to S.H.I.E.L.D. In fact, the current agreement might not have even come to be, had it not been for the previous one. Her hands found her way to her face again as her anger slowly dissipated into misery.

Loki: He took her most obvious misery in stride. He was prideful of the fact he would soon be able to have his own life, to do as he pleased, when he pleased. Of course, there were more obvious matters that would be approaching him, considering Thanos was still out there figuring out how to torture him more so, considering he did not fulfill his end of the bargain, but he was certain the old Titan would eventually tire of trying to find him among the branches of Yggdrasil. He was clever. If he remained in one place for too long, he was certain Thanos would come and claim him before any Asgardian did. She was doing him a justice, whether it be in her own will or not, and he was grateful she would help him, rather than face her own death, whether he showed it or not. All he wanted was freedom, never to see Asgard or Midgard again, and a life of his own, unrestricted by the boundaries of royalty or a sentencing of any sort. If she could just come to realize that... But why would she? He was most certain she hated him now, if she had not hated him in the first place. Just as any other being might. It had little effect on him.

Luna: Prior to this entire ordeal, she might have found compassion enough within herself to grant him, but now, even the traces of such a thing were removed - courtesy of his despicable behavior towards her. She had no intention of making his imprisonment any more unnerving that it was necessary for it to be... Why she ever thought that he would respect such a thing was beyond her. How big of an imbecile could she possibly be? Amongst her thoughts came a few, at random times, which were so utterly furious and hateful of this entire situation. If she could make herself disappear momentarily, she would. Oh, but her helplessness was only frustrating her further - any and all attempts of hers at just about anything would be altogether ruined by this man who could easily overpower her, magic or not. She could do nothing about her situation, she thought, and the inability pained her.

Loki: He sat in silence, letting her come to terms with this new "arrangement" of sorts, and while she did so, he rose from the couch and walked over to the ice box that the mortals seemed to keep food in. He grabbed a bottle of water that she seemed to find so soothing and then stepped in front of her, holding it out to her in a sort of peace offering, though he knew she would quite possibly never be so kind to him again. He briefly wondered what got into him that he would do such a kind thing in return for her anger at him, and then thought that she may not even take it as a way to calm herself down.

Luna: She did not hear him step away at any point, and though she did hear the sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing, she made no movement to acknowledge this. Until, that is, when he stood right in front of her, extending towards her a cold water bottle, his expression unreadable beneath the remnants, still, of the satisfaction which he drew out of the situation. She looked at the bottle, then back to him, taking it whilst maintaining eye contact for several seconds more. "Thank you," she murmured after several moments of quiet contemplation of whether or not she would prolong the silence or break it.

Loki: After giving a swift nod, he sat back down upon the couch, seeing still an existence of words in her eyes, things that she wished to say. It was very late within the night, and he was certain neither of them would have any sort of sleep; he ended up staying put. If she was uncomfortable in his presence, then she would be the one to leave. He had a right to be there.

Luna: She unscrewed the bottle cap and took slow, small sips, the water's cold so very useful to her. Her eyes touched upon him for a few seconds, interchangeably irritated and plain out sad. "Where is it that you intend for us to go, after we have escaped...?" she asked.

Loki: "I would assume that by leaving this country, it would make it slightly more difficult for your organization to be kept to speed," he replied quietly. "As I understand of your Midgardian geography, we are not too far from the country you call Canada, am I wrong?" he asked, looking at her sad eyes, his head cocked to the side.

Luna: Her eyebrows drew momentarily for but a moment before she gave a nod. "We are not, no. But seeing as how we are not, won't that leave you with far too little time to develop your magic once again?" she pressed. How would they get to Canada? When they do, what then? Just roam around the country? And how would they even go from one place to another, with him having quite a recognizable face?

Loki: He shrugged. "I daresay it shall take a bit more time, yes; however, by teaching you, I shall grow stronger just the same. I'd say it works on both ends, hmm?" The corners of his lips twisted into another half-smile.

Luna: She sighed and then gave an agreeing nod. "I suppose so," she said, her warm fingertips tracing a line down the cold bottle, creating a small trace in the condensation. "I must ask, however - how do you plan on people not _seeing you_ once you are outside?" Her brows drew closer together; it reminded her that she needs to find a way around S.H.I.E.L.D, for both of their sakes.

Loki: He leaned his head back. "Perhaps you have done enough _'research'_ that you should know that I am also a shapeshifter. I can simply take the form of another if I so wish it," he replied, disregarding the fact that would take quite a bit more effort on his part, considering he can hardly conjure wind without the familiar, stabbing pain.

Luna: "Ah, yes... So you can..." she said musingly. "Do not blame me for wishing to ensure. You, yourself, said that most of the stories were untrue, and so..." she lingered off, tugging slightly at the thin paper that encircled the water bottle in her hands. Shapeshifting... She shook her head slowly, looking at him incredulously. That is something that she would absolutely love to see, even though the circumstances were less than favorable. How useful that might be, it was almost inconceivable to her, impossibly difficult for her human mind to comprehend. Certainly, she had known of shapeshifters, yet to try and understand that such things are not only possible, but sitting right across the way from her...

Loki: "It is understandable," he replied with a small shrug. "Once people know of such a skill, one may be able to assume many things... such as myself taking the shape of a mare, or perhaps a wolf, or snake... Though I have taken the shape of such animals, I do not spawn _children_ from them," he replied with a snort, shaking his head. Such stories were not favorable to him, considering nearly half of them were jests that formed into myths, and he would suppose some Aesir came to Earth and repeated them in his displeasure... There was little he could do to stop such things, however.

Luna: "I see, I see. So, Sleipnir, he is not yours?" she asked. "That would have made quite a story to tell," she said with the faintest, briefest of smiles. Oh, yes, it would have been one she would've liked to hear, especially from the point of view of experience.

Loki: He rolled his eyes. "No," he replied curtly. "He is most _certainly_ not. Such a story it is, that my pathetic young, female self would have been _raped_ by a colt and then mothered an eight-legged _horse_. Specifically why such stories _are_ stories and myths that your people - and the Aesir - find such joy in mocking... I am quite familiar with all of it, much thanks."

Luna: "Do calm down, I'm not bloody attacking you..." she muttered with a roll of her own eyes. So defensive he was... She wouldn't have liked it if untrue stories spread about her, especially ones such as that one, either, but she truly did not mean to evoke anything negative in mentioning it - though the mentions, themselves, would have sufficed to bring about his bad humor.

Loki: He huffed, losing his tension immediately as he realized he did just spit at her for no good reason. "Very well," he muttered, his head looking back up to the ceiling as he toyed with one of the buttons on the flimsy Midgardian shirt he was supposed to wear. He hadn't an idea what came over him, as there was no use for such a spat, but he felt as though it was necessary at the time. His hands curled into tight fists at his sides as he tried to regain his composure.

Luna: She gave a single nod, though his compliance surprised her and brought upon the wondering whether she would ever get used to him and his behavior. "Good..." she murmured. "My first instinct truly is not to be rude to you," she explained earnestly, though it was something he should know, and considering that he does not - something that he should learn. She would only ever act with him in such a way if he was the one to initiate it.

Loki: He nodded curtly, the comment that she would know best not to be rude to one such as him, anyway, lingering on the tip of his tongue, but he decided against letting it out. "Though it is hard to believe, I wish to make your... partnership with me as comfortable as possible..." he replied, his eyes shifting to her as he leaned further back into the couch. "I have found with my experiences with women... if they are miserable, so are those who accompany them."

Luna: He could start by not forcing her away from all she knew, she thought to herself heatedly, and another thought followed - why should he care whether she was comfortable or miserable? He should not, in any way, be affected by her mood, unless he let it, and why he would do that was a question she could not answer. "I would think that one such as yourself would not allow for the likes of me to spoil anything for you, including your mood," she said lowly. She was curious to see just how he would make this all _comfortable_.

Loki: He rolled his eyes. "I have emotions, as well, dear," he replied stiffly. "I understand it may not seem like it, but they are there. If I am to be with you and you alone, I shall grow tired of such wretched moods, hmm?" There was less amusement in his voice, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Luna: "You don't say..." she said with a tiny laugh. Why else did he think she attempted to lighten his mood every so often? Oh, he had emotions, as he quite clearly showed. "It would help if you didn't require me there, to begin with…" she muttered more quietly, unsure if he'd hear.

Loki: He heard her soft words and chuckled darkly. "I am sorry, dear, but sometimes things just... _don't_ go our way. That is the way of all existence. Unfortunately, things haven't been going my way for quite some time. It is hardly my fault. I have no wish to die, I am being cornered like an animal, and you happen to be the unlucky one there who _can_ help me out of such predicaments. Otherwise, what am I to do, hmm?" He shrugged.

Luna: Of course he would not back down, regardless of what attempted to get him to. He had such a strong desire to keep living, to keep himself as safe as he can, and he truly would not hesitate to seize any opportunity that presented itself to him. A thought twitched in her mind that spread to her stomach and made it twitch, as well - why would he wish to keep living? Surely, it was a pure desire of any being, to preserve themselves at any cost... And surely, he had time enough, perhaps, to lead his existence in another direction, if given the chance to lead it in the first place. But even so, it would not be a very comfortable existence, she thought, not with everything that he has done and with everyone who wants him... However, these were not things that she dared mention to him in any way, lest she worsen the entire situation further. "I... guess you are but doing that which any would…"

Loki: He nodded with a small smirk on his face. "Now, we see things in the same light," he replied smoothly, watching as she seemed to have the bits of realization come over her. "And so, I shall keep my word. This all shall be over and done with one day, and perhaps in your very short future, you can forget about your little qualm with me and let it be in your past, and I shall continue to be to myself."

Luna: She hardly suppressed a laugh. "Ah, yes, this is truly something I can _absolutely_ forget, especially when I have to come back and try to retrieve what was left of _my_ life once you're done breaking it apart and scattering it." Her voice grew angrier and angrier by the time she finished her sentence.

Loki: He raised his brows at the girl's sudden passionate response. "I said 'perhaps', as there is no guarantee, dear. Once again, we must do what we must," he replied, his eyes looking warily at her as she looked to the point of exploding in her anger.

Luna: She gripped the bottle tightly, the plastic creaking beneath her fingers as she tried her very best not to chuck it at him. "No, _you_ do what _you_ must, because you _can_ ," she said in a voice that was quite forced into quietness, though it came near trembling. She could not do what she must, as he prevented her in every single way...

Loki: He looked at the bottle being crushed within her hand, the anger within her causing a flush to her cheeks. "I can, yes," he replied simply. "And I will," he added as an afterthought, unsure whether he cared so much for her anger or not.

Luna: "Ah, but it's all well, isn't it? You'll make it as comfortable for me as you can, I've nothing to fret about," she continued grumbling bitterly, more as a manner of trying to expel some of that anger, though she had some difficulties of keeping it under control once it was out.

Loki: He kept his lips pressed together as he listened to her rant, knowing he had nothing left to say to one who was so bitter in her hate. He nodded simply, and then stared in front of himself, folding his hands together and keeping silent for the time being, until she was finished taking out her anger.

Luna: She put the bottle down and took the pillow that was behind her back, having once more to control herself to not fling it at him; although it would not do him any harm at all, much like the bottle would not, he would not take kindly to things being thrown at him, and that naturally meant that she would reap what she sowed. Instead, she curled her legs up to her chest and placed a pillow between her chest and her thighs, her face leaning against her knees as she shut her eyes tightly, the fury nearly leading her to tears. But she would absolutely not let that happen.

Loki: He glanced over to see her curling into herself in what looked to be much more anger. Was she crying? He could not be sure. He shifted, unwilling to give in to the discomfort, for he was not one to comfort others. It would be difficult to learn from example, even, considering there had been very few to ever bestow such a thing upon him – apart from Frigga. Frigga... He drifted off, musing about how gentle and kind her eyes were as she looked down upon her adopted and chained son, the depth of sadness within them, the disappointment... Would she forgive him this time? He doubted it, though he had also doubted it when he had managed to take the life of her true son.

Luna: How selfish one can be... She was even more upset at the fact that, in essence, he simply took what anybody would do to the next level. She truly could not blame him for wanting to regain his freedom and to keep his life the way he wants it to, but his means of accomplishing such a thing were so, so careless, so wretched... She knew she expected it not just from him, but from multitude of people of her own race - it was, after all, something certain beings had in common, no matter how much Loki wished to deny he was as far away from a human as one can be. It was the simple, most natural of urges of everyone - even she was proof to it, as she could not come to terms with the fact that her own existence was endangered and compromised to such an extent.. She was so very angry that his desires were justifiable enough for her.

Loki: He gave a quiet sigh as his thoughts drifted off, choosing to ignore the angry woman at the side of him; he knew he would have to face much more of her anger in the coming days. He continued watching the empty fireplace in front of him as his thumbs folded atop one another. They needed to leave soon, and fast, considering the fact he knew not when they would send him back to Asgard. It had already been three weeks with the girl, and though they never specified a time, he could not be too careful. He had to have this scheme moving to the beat he would set. But it would not be today, he added to his thoughts, glancing at the unstable woman to his left. No, not today...


	10. Chapter 10

Luna: After a long while of rather fruitlessly attempting to accept what was happening to her, she rose her head to look at him, wondering why he was still in the same room as she; he more than obviously pointed out many a time that her company was not one he found enjoyable. Perhaps he was attempting to get used to it, as he had to bring her with him - then again, why wasn't he savoring his last bits of time spent all on his own before he took on such a burden? As she mused, her eyes narrowed for but a moment before relaxing again into blank sadness. This much exasperation truly took a toll on her, as she was unused to such stressful situations - though how could she be, to this particular one? It was not something that one could become prepared for. How tiresome he was, how tiresome it all was...

Loki: He could feel her eyes upon him briefly, looking upon him in what could have been disdain that he was existent. However, he cared less for the girl's presence; before, it shook him simply because there was almost an equality in power... Whereas he was stronger by nature, she could easily report him at any time and send him immediately away to his full, true sentence, and he hated the feeling of that… But now she could do very little. He had the utter upper-hand now, and there was nothing she could do about it. He shrugged it off and continued to ease himself into the couch, unmoved.

Luna: She glanced at him once again, his form more relaxed than she had ever seen it, as if even the cares that he did have did not faze him enough to rattle him, though she looked away and closed her eyes with a small shudder when she remembered his threats... How he could hurt her so very easily if only she gave him an incentive. Her heart reacted instantly at the thoughts, and her eyes shut more tightly. She had to find a way to get them out.. How he managed to turn it into matters of _her own_ freedom was perplexing and frustrating to no end. She shrunk away slightly when she asked herself once more - what if she failed?

Loki: He could feel her eyes upon him once more and he could not help but smirk. What good did it do her to stare? She so often gazed at him, sometimes as if he had grown three heads and now walked on his hands. It was amusing, to say the least. A good lot of what she did was amusing to him, he thought - perhaps not before, but more so, now.

Luna: She needed to distract herself somehow, for at least a little bit before she had to begin contemplating and planning... She could not rely on herself for distractions, and the only thing she supposed might divert her mind would be magic, and for that, she had to turn to him. With a sigh, she conceded. "Loki.. Teach me." Her words were simple, and she rose and moved over to the couch to take a seat next to him.

Loki: He stiffened when she walked so comfortably over to him and took a seat so close. He narrowed his eyes, shifting so that he was a bit further from her, but then nodded. "Of course," he replied simply, himself, before tugging at the energies he had attempted to keep around him, pulling them back so they were around his hands. He turned slightly to her, feeling the pain already resonate throughout his abdomen, holding out his hands to her. "Can you still sense it?" he asked, arching a brow.

Luna: She readily extended her hands towards his, brushing her fingers and her palms along the air above them, as if stroking a peculiar animal of sorts. "Give me time..." she murmured as she closed her eyes and then attempted to loosen the tension in her muscles and in her shoulders, to set herself more at ease and lead herself to a place more tranquil, emptied of all the troubles that plagued her... Not only did grasping magic bring such joy to her, it also allowed her to enter a state of mind in which she could find some peace - it elevated her levels of concentration by quite a bit, as it was crucial for any work related. Granted, her attempts at detaching herself did not always work to her favor, but practice made perfect, she reminded herself.

Loki: He did, indeed, wait – despite the existence of pain. He remained still as he fought it back, his only motions biting the inside of his cheek while he thickened the tendrils of magic wrapped about his hand. She at once looked as if she was at peace, as this was their common ground for the time being. The only thing they both desired. Not that it bothered him, no... He found a liking to the way she looked when she was in deep concentration, her lips pressed tightly into a miniature pout, her brows pulling together…

Luna: Now and then, she had difficulties obtaining the concentration, more so than maintaining it. It was not uncommon for a stray thought to skip across her mind and rock her focus, but it was all the more challenge for her to dispel even such pests and other unneeded matters. She was, however, slightly worried momentarily, that in her hands' ventures, she would touch his own and then all the time spent focusing would be for nothing - closing her eyes helped, but it made her almost unaware of where his own hands were - that was, at least, until she felt the magic; then she was granted a more honed sense, and could easily distinguish his hands from the magic which he held. She tried not to let the worry usurp her too much, and she kept on focusing. After a while, of whose length she was unsure, she finally began sensing the irresistible, strange feeling between her skin and his, and her lips curved into a pleased, relieved smile. Each time they tried, she was so very afraid that she would not come to feel it ever again, no matter how hard she tried.

Loki: Loki continued watching the girl as her lips twisted into a smile. He smiled, too, knowing that she could sense it; the agreement he had with her was not all for nothing. He waited for her to have a good feel for it before he would allow her to attempt to hold it – which would be the lesson he intended upon teaching her today. "Very good," he commended gently, slightly relieved that she managed to stay away from his hands, though her own were rather close.

Luna: She smiled a little bit more at his praise; he knew how to be an almost entirely different person while teaching her magic - he seemed to regularly praise her for any little thing she would accomplish, and despite the pain he felt, he would be patient, and he would wait for her to succeed. It almost felt like it was not reality - her eyes were closed and she could feel it so well, to the extent where she was concerned about opening her eyes, in fear she might lose the grasp and the sensation. She could not see anything, but she could feel it, and so the darkness in front of her eyes aided in making it feel as if it were all an elaborate, surreal illusion that only worked as long as her eyes were closed, and would flicker out if she dared to do otherwise. So, she spent as much time as she could, momentarily, feeling it as much as she could, feeling the mass beneath her hands, mass that she could not discern, but that she could feel with more intensity than the time prior. She could attribute no qualities to it - it was neither warm, nor cold - though every now and again, she could feel Loki's own cold exuding at random - and it was not soft, nor was it rough, nor smooth, or hard.. It was almost pointless to try and describe it, especially at the level at which she was presently. Perhaps one day...

Loki: After a while of watching her discern the magic and feel it, he let some of it disperse, though not entirely, back into the air around him and then sighed, attempting to quickly relieve himself of the pain, for he knew this next lesson would take a bit more energy than the one before. "Next, you shall learn how to hold it, yourself," he began, making the little bit of magic he held in his hand slightly thicker, just enough that she could sense it when she was handed it. He extended the small orb in his hand, looking up to her. "All you need to do is grasp it for yourself," he explained. "And hold it within your own two hands, and then, if you feel as though you have a decent grip upon it, study it...” he said, watching and waiting cautiously.

Luna: She slowly and carefully opened her eyes, looking down at her hands, her heartbeat accelerating. A part of her knew that she ought to be a little surer in her attempts, but she could not help but feel a little nervous regarding it all. He gave her no further instructions, which she took as a sign that it was quite obvious how she was supposed to hold it on her own. Through all of those alarming thoughts, she struggled to maintain enough of her senses to still feel the energy. She gave him a nod to let him know that she was listening. Then, she attempted the most banal of ways she could think of to take hold, her fingers slightly, gingerly curving around what she felt. However, she only felt as if she dove her fingers into it, and not around it, as she felt it both underneath her hand and atop it. She tried not to let this failure affect her to the point where she would lose all grip altogether. Her lips pressed together as she moved her fingers again, trying to grasp it in its entirety, though feeling her fingers slide through as if the magic was not at all concrete, or, rather, as if it shifted and gave way to her fingers, avoiding them.

Loki: He watched as her fingers seemed to not know where to place themselves, and he sighed, knowing that he should have given further instruction than to sit and let her toy with the bits of it until he would ultimately crumble. "Do not think it shall simply come to you. Beckon it to yourself, rather... You work in tandem with the magic and vice versa, not exclusively one or the other. Like... a magnet, I suppose," he explained, attempting to move his fingers so that it might be more available to her, flexing his hand back slightly more so it would be readily willing to come into her hand.

Luna: "Alright…" she murmured almost distantly, as she did not wish to spare any more attention to other things than was necessary. She took his words in, however, as they were important, and she tried to heed them and follow the instructions. She bit her lower lip for several moments, closing her eyes again, wishing to feel the magic as fully as she could, wondering just how to beckon it. She tried with the simple will and desire, the backs of her fingers first gently brushing along the bit of magic before she turned her hands, ready to try once again. After several more tries that ended with no result, she began growing desperate, nearly pleading the magic to come to her, her need for it increasing with each failure. Then, after another attempt, her fingers finally felt something more substantial, something that, when coaxed closer did, indeed, obey. She could not help but let out a more than pleased sound in her next exhale, almost quivering with the relief that it finally decided it would cooperate. She kept ushering it gently into her hands, straining so very hard to keep it there.

Loki: He watched with a pleased smile, seeing that she was successfully luring it away from his hand, but his eyes were careful, for he did not wish for her to suddenly let go of it – it would take more than enough energy for him to retrieve it. "Gentle," he said quietly, trying to ease her excitement so that she did not become too overjoyed and find that it would just fall out of her hands. "Stay calm. You do not want to drop it..." he explained, his voice smooth so that it would not disrupt her concentration, letting it ease into her hand as he let go of it.

Luna: She gave another nod, striving to keep it in her hands, but the moment he seemed to let go of it entirely and let her have it all, it escaped her. It simply dissipated, like a tower of cards, it simply fell apart and lost all consistency, all form - not only that but she ceased feeling it at the precise moment, and she could not even grasp the smallest of remnants, if there were any to begin with - she simply could not sense it enough to know. There might not have been any at all. She felt the pit of her stomach fill with upset, as she looked up at him apologetically. "I… I had it and then it just.. It's gone," she said despondently. "I'm sorry..."

Loki: He sighed heavily, letting out a frustrated groan in reply, watching as anything he had built up completely dissipated through her hands. He should have known not to give all of it to her at that moment. He hurriedly attempted to gather it from the dispersed tendrils, finding ways to build it back up into his hand and continue, but it was difficult as he had entirely let go of it before and she had taken it and then placed it wherever it would float away to. His brows knit together as he looked back up to her. "Let us try this again," he replied through slightly grit teeth, the pain stabbing at his midsection as he formed the orb once more, holding it out to her. "Slower this time..."

Luna: The sound of frustration he gave nearly discouraged her into giving up for the night, though she knew that she would not progress in any which way if she refused to continue practicing each and every time she failed. She nodded silently, slightly jarred and pressured by the fact that the longer it took her to concentrate and to begin sensing the thing, the more pain he experienced, and if she did not improve in terms of speed, her teacher might not be capable of teaching her for some time. However, she tried to rid herself of such feelings, as they would do nothing but the opposite and inhibit her.  
Sure enough, after some time, she had located the bit of magic that he held - to her massive relief, as she thought that perhaps, after dropping it like so, she might not ever find it again. After she was certain that she sensed it strongly enough to try and seize it once more, she did, guided by her previous experience, as now she had some by which to judge and compare and build upon, making it just a hair easier. She felt it very slowly seep into her hands, though she was unsure of its size, it felt rather small, and she willed herself to be so very ginger with it. She took it more and more, gently, patiently, feeling as if she were getting to know the peculiar energy more distinctly and more intensely with each second that passed.

Loki: He watched, ready to catch whatever she may drop as she attempted to slowly let it come into her much smaller hands. He watched and waited, his hands hovering around her own, prepared to act quickly, but not completely attempting to meddle in anything that she was doing. He gave a small smile as she began to study what she held in her hand, doing exactly what he asked her to do until he entirely let go of it, letting it stay within her hands. He tried to ignore the pain that he was facing and put on a more encouraging facade, as he knew that he would have to ignore it every time he was ready to teach her... He would have to ignore it whenever it was time that he should shapeshift. The more and more he gathers together, the more likely the magic will help him when they escape. He looked to her face and then her hands, the epitome of concentration upon both of them. "Yes, very good," he murmured lightly, the arm that did not hold the magic wrapping around his midsection almost reflexively now.

Luna: His words came slightly distantly, as she tried not to pay heed to much other than that which she was holding now, something so very small, so very much alive, to the point where she could almost feel the vivacity. She gazed down at her hands, marveling infinitely at the fact that she could see absolutely nothing, but she could very well feel its presence. Ever so slowly and lightly, she brushed a finger along what she now determined were edges, however vague and undefined they were, she could nearly begin to tell where the energy ceased and the normal air resumed. That made her so very happy and filled her with the joy she knew she could derive solely from the precious thing she was familiarizing herself with momentarily - it was a much needed change from the utter confusion and the frustration of the time prior.

Loki: He watched her face become so very alight with joy as she looked upon the magic she held in her hand. Her expression that was once weary, angry and sad now looked as if that had never happened to her. He gave a small smile, himself, as it was most obvious what kind of similarity he shared with her... Even when everything went wrong, magic would always be what she would resort to. Even as a young child, he would run into his bed chambers and find magic and toy with that alone, if he did not want to be with those who derided.

Luna: Several moments later, she began feeling increasingly tired, and it came so very surely, taking away bit by bit of her energy, threatening also to take away the one she held, as well. Her smile faltered and her brows slowly knit together as she felt that she needed to strain much more to maintain the magic, but at the same time, it quite swiftly drained her. Confusion washed over her, successfully starting to tear her concentration down, and she sensed the magic which she held beginning almost to tremble, as if it did not have enough of her to rely on. "Loki..." she murmured worriedly. "Take it... Please," she said hurriedly. "Now." She was too afraid to move, as if the magic was a feather in her hands that the slightest stirring of the air would blow away.

Loki: He quickly came out of his thoughts, his own brows knitting together as he took it out of her hands, placing it into his own once more, and then, with a wave of his hands and another stab in his chest, he let it dissolve into the air. He glanced over her expression, the way she looked at the moment as if she was about to fall out of herself... She was mortal. She would not be able to hold magic for as long as he had allowed her, and she would be weaker than any other sorcerer simply because her body does not have enough energy to support such a strong force. "Ah," he muttered with the sudden realization, yet another thing that he should have considered before teaching her. "You are tired, yes?" he asked, arching a brow.

Luna: She nodded in affirmation. "Not so much sleepy as.. _tired_ , physically," she murmured, swaying slightly until she leaned against the back of the couch for support, closing her eyes with a frown still etched about her face. "Battered..." she added even more quietly, finding that she had to open her eyes once more and focus on a single spot, for a dizziness began creeping up to her. She threw him a very worried, questioning glance.

Loki: "Your body may not be physically capable of taking on as much as any other sorcerer’s might," he noted aloud, in response to her questioning glance. "Simply because you do not have the same sort of physical energy as an immortal might. Your body _can_ take to magic, but simply… not _as_ much," he explained briefly. "I am sorry to disappoint you," he added, wondering if what he said would offend her in any way. As if it should matter for him, his mind added with a scoff. It was not as though it would matter to him after he is gone. In fact, if anything, it would make it easier... She would not become an overly powerful sorcerer upon Earth and she would remain undetected.

Luna: Her frown deepened in dislike of the words he gave her. "You said it was like a muscle," her voice was quiet and she lifted her feet from the ground and settled more comfortably onto the couch, leaning even further against the back of it, grateful that it is there to support her weight, as she doubted her own body would. "And muscles need developing, no? Perhaps, with enough practice and… moderation, I guess... it might lessen," she said, her voice gaining quite a hopeful undertone by the end of her last sentence.

Loki: He gave a curt nod. "Yes, but there are limits, my lady," he replied and then shrugged. "Once more, a mortal has not tried magic before. You may very well be correct, but from what I can infer based upon your mortal form, and what I have seen of mortals, you must understand there is a high chance of you simply reaching a limit... or a plateau, if you will," he replied, looking at her slightly apologetically.

Luna: She nodded dejectedly, looking at him with a slightly dismal glint in her eyes; he would understand just what his words would mean for her - it was strange, this common ground of theirs and the utter understanding they seemed to share at least for a brief moment, in occurrences such as these. She was glad, in a way, that mortals have never before experienced magic, as any potentially discouraging possibility would not necessarily hold true. It was she who would explore and investigate the boundaries, and, if possible, push them back further and widen them. There was solace in the uncertainty, as it neither approved nor disproved possibilities.

Loki: He looked over her saddened expression. How fast she went from being perturbed by his bargain to being enlightened by the magic he provided her, and in the end, still ending up becoming saddened by the truth of it all. He pressed his lips together, having a small bit within him that wished to tell her there was still hope, as he most certainly would not have wanted someone to tell him such a thing in his youth, when he relied upon magic for solace... And now it would prove to be her solace, as well. "It shall be fine," he assured, and though he was never one to grant comfort to another, he had a certain drive within him to do so with her... If only for the sake of the experience of magic. "I shall do my best to test such limits," he added.

Luna: "As will I.." she said with a hint of gratitude in her voice. She then glanced at the arm of his that was wound around his abdomen."Have you ever experienced any… side effects, so to speak... due to magic - apart from, well, that?" she gestured towards his midriff.

Loki: "It does wear on me, yes," he replied, looking where she gestured. "But nothing more than a physical activity. It tends to drain such energy often, considering what sort of energy magic is..." he explained briefly.

Luna: She nodded in understanding. "And… does the fitness of one's body affect the magic? As in, the more used to physical activity you are and the more stamina or something such you have, the magic drains you all the same, or no?" she persisted with the questions.

Loki: He gave a shrug. "If that is so, Thor should be a great wielder of magic, but alas, he is not," he scoffed. "And I would be relatively weak. So, in answer to your question, I daresay it is all the same."

Luna: "Ah, I see," she said, then looked down at herself and let out a small chuckle. "Good…" she muttered as an afterthought. She could have assumed that magic made no such preferences; it would have surprised her if it did, in fact, she thought. In either case, she was glad that no such differences existed, as she, herself, was not tall and mighty, either.

Loki: He smirked and nodded once more. "Indeed," he agreed. He was strong physically, but when being placed besides Thor comparably, he was hardly what would ever be considered "strong"... He was the one who developed a defense of himself through magic and often, magic only.

Luna: She shifted her weight, squirming and getting more comfortable. "I feel boneless..." she grumbled under her breath as she brushed her hair out of her face with a motion quite tired, though mentally, the fatigue had not quite caught up to such an extent.

Loki: He appraised her with a furrowed brow. "You do not look it," he replied with a small smirk, shifting so that he continued to be further away from where she sat out of reflex. She did, indeed, look tired - as she would continue to be, it seemed. He would have to make sure she got plentiful rest when they manage to escape... He needed her to stay alert to things of which he may be less aware.

Luna: She gave a noncommittal noise as her response. If she got this tired from so little practice, she would not progress at all at the pace she thought would be sufficient. It unnerved her, as it proved her to be less capable of withstanding magic than she would like. Practice makes perfect, she thought to herself before willing herself to part from the back of the couch and straighten up somewhat. "Again..." she said, emphasizing what she wished with her hands outstretched before her.

Loki: He looked down to her hands and then sighed, holding out his hands as he concentrated upon reviving what he once had before her. He furrowed his brow as the pain immediately returned despite the amount of time that he had spent resting; it returned like another stab to his midsection. "Very well," he sighed, making the orb of magic in his hand thicker, ready for her to grasp once more.

Luna: She murmured hasty thanks before she positioned her hands close to his and closed her eyes. As always, it took her some time to begin sensing the energy, though each next time she attempted, it only got easier, if only by a minuscule hair. Perhaps, with time, it would grow to be more noticeable, the increase in speed with which she grasped certain things. It was quite round, she noticed as she moved her hands around it, pleased beyond reason that she could faintly sense where it stopped and the air began - thus being able to determine the pliable shape. Only when she ensured that she felt the small, round shape substantially enough did she start letting it lose its shape and grow more elongated as it moved from his hands to her own. She simply could not maintain its spherical form while she attempted to hold it, as she was not yet strong enough for any such feat. What she could do was merely let it linger about in her hands, energy that she had slight trouble convincing to stay where she held it - perhaps the only reason that it did remain for the time being was because of her growing desperation to keep it that way. However, her breathing was starting to grow uneven, as she strained more and more with each passing second to keep the undefined mass within her grasp.

Loki: His hands continued to hover around her own as she held it, making sure that she did not suddenly drop it on a whim that she becomes too fatigued to carry it. He sighed, watching as her breathing became unsteady and ragged, the way her body shifted, slouching as if she was trying to condense the bits of energy within herself and keep it stable. The mass within her hands, he noticed, came out of its form that it began as, quite possibly making it harder for her to obtain. He applied some of his own energy to keep it from sifting out of her fingers while she took to trying to keep it.

Luna: Had she not been straining and concentrating so very badly, she might have noticed the energy return some of its form. No, she merely continued struggling to keep it in her hands, to withstand it and bear it for as long as she possibly could. It was not heavy, the energy, not that she could feel, yet the effects of it were as if she truly was holding something much too large and hefty for her. It was not long before she began quivering slightly with the effort, holding her breath more often than not. "Take it back..." she breathed out after several long, long minutes, hoping there was sufficient time for him to do that, as she truly did not think she could keep it up much longer.

Loki: He scurried to take it from her hands, himself, before she ultimately lost it and thus force him to have to use more energy to retrieve it from the abyss of the air that surrounded them. Unfortunately, the girl did not seem able to withstand it long enough, and she ended up letting a bit of it to sift through her fingers. He furrowed his brow, looking at her curiously, observing her reaction to the strenuous magic that she maneuvered, noting her reaction and how it seemed to worsen the more time it was within her grasp. Of course, it was a taxing task, but there was always something more that was added to it to make her weaker. How frustrating that must be... It may take a longer time for her to learn it than he had planned.

Luna: She felt an almost overwhelming relief when he took it away from her, but there was also that peculiar emptiness she now felt in her hands, emptiness that she yearned to remove once again, even if it did make her tremble so. This time, however, she almost slumped over the couch; she bent over slightly as she was sitting, closing her eyes tightly and propping herself up with one of her hands that grabbed the back of the couch for support. She reminded herself over and over again to breathe in and out, regularly, slowly, to dispel the quivers that jarred her breathing. A part of her did not wish for Loki to watch her as such, but another part of her could not care, the only objective of hers to regain her composure as soon as possible.

Loki: Loki watched her wearily, attempting to relieve herself as he dispersed the magic, letting it go into the nearby range of the area surrounding them, all the same wrapping his arm about his midsection as if that would help aid the pain. He did not know why he did such a thing - as if by holding his arm around himself, it would stop him from splitting at the half - but it truly did nothing to help it... It but made it aesthetically better. He turned his head away from her, doubting she would care very much if he watched her in such a weakened state - as if he cared. She was always weak to him, he knew in his mind. She would always be weak to him, no matter how much magic she came about.

Luna: With time that appeared to run much too slowly to her, she gradually lost the tension in her shoulders, lowering them and relaxing them, feeling her muscles ever so slowly loosen. The hand that was quite firmly gripping the couch loosened, as well, and she dropped it next to herself. She turned slightly and leaned against the couch some more, more than glad that it was there for her to lean on, otherwise, she might have ended up in quite a horizontal position. She opened her eyes for a brief moment, looking at him, as if checking up on him, though she could not place why. "Are you alright?" she asked with a small tinge of breathlessness in her voice, as if she had just swum for hours, and hours, and hours. He went through something worse than she did, when attempting to hold the magic, and there was a small hint of worry in her gaze.

Loki: He nodded briefly. "I shall be fine, I assure you," he lied with a swift glance over to her. He was not entirely sure what would happen if he happens to overexert himself, whether he would gravely wound himself or disallow himself from continuing for a long while. He frowned at that thought, knowing he was overexerting himself merely by going against such a strong curse in the first place, but how was he to change shape with such a little bit of substance within his capabilities? "Worry not of me," he added, seeing the tinge of worry in her eyes. Why should she care?

Luna: "I'm trying, believe me, but..." she lingered off for a breath. "But you are so very much in pain and that is not good," she stated quite obviously, thinking that it ought to be clear to him that she had all the reasons for concern. She could not stop her gaze from gliding over him, inspecting.

Loki: "It is my choice to teach you and restore my power is it not?" he asked, tilting his head, his eyes curious of her reaction. "I know what I shall suffer if I make such a choice. There is little, if any, relief," he added, quirking a brow at her. "It shall become easier, I assure you," he lied again.

Luna: "Of course it is your choice, Loki, I understand that…" she said more quietly, giving up on attempting to explain and justify her worries to him - especially as she could not explain it to herself. On one hand, she found it normal to be concerned of someone who is most evidently hurting; on the other hand, to grant _him_ such concern and care was not something she found reasonable in any which way. Why should she, when he would not hesitate for a moment to transfer the pain that he was feeling to her, if he found a way to do it? She looked at him for several seconds more before averting her eyes and focusing her gaze on something other.

Loki: He nodded briefly, pressing his lips together and continued to stare in front of himself, rather than at her. It was odd, her sudden caring of him, but he supposed it was only human... An attempt to appeal to his humanity, though he was absolutely certain – as she, too, ought be – he had no such thing. He was not human to begin with. "Very well," he muttered with contempt, leaning his head back as the pain began to subside.

Luna: She kept her silence, knowing that she shall regain her disdain for the man soon enough, as he will inevitably do something more to evoke it. He did quite enough already, and her worry was as unexpected to her as anything. The more she thought, the further her frown deepened; it was unfair to show him any sort of tolerance whatsoever - perhaps if he were in any way kinder to her (other than the lessons he gave her, which he did for his own sake more than anything else), she would find it all reasonable. But this way, it would be wiser for her - though not healthier - to continue with her contempt. He deserved no more.

Loki: He could feel the wall that she had previously built between them the moment she had given in to his demands being rebuilt. It seemed when magic was not their topic of conversation or activity, there was absolutely nothing but disdain between the both of them. He kept his silence, knowing there was little they shared in that aspect. He furrowed his brow, wondering if it should always be like that. But then again, if he was just going to leave her once he was able, why should it matter? He would not think much upon her pathetic Midgardian life when he's gone and resuming his own life once more. This was all there _should_ be between them.

Luna: Despite sitting in relatively close proximity to him, it felt as if there were worlds of distance between them. There may very well have been, she reminded herself, as she was utterly inferior to him in all the aspects, she added bitterly and in disagreement. Her lips pressed slightly together as she turned further away from him, wishing she would get up and leave, but she was unsure whether her body would agree with her desires - she might be too heavy for herself momentarily. In the worst case, she reminded herself, she could always try and remove _him_ from the couch, instead, with rather strategically placed movements of her own.

Loki: He leaned back into the couch, making himself as comfortable as possible – his long, slender legs sprawled out in front of him, his arms crossed across his chest, his head leaning back onto the pillows of the couch, and his eyes closed. He did not wish to move much longer, but he could feel the scorn she held for him radiate off of her. If she did not want him there, then she could leave, he decided once more. He was in control here... Not her. She would just need to be reminded that every so often; then might this all go very efficiently for him.

Luna: She nearly scooted away when she saw him begin to take up slightly more of the couch than before; remaining where she was, she merely mirrored him and made herself comfortable, reaching over to take a cushion from one of the armchairs, placing it behind herself and shifting her weight into a reclined position. She did not reach him, for the couch was, fortunately, rather large, but she wouldn't have cared either way - if anything, it might have gotten him to move away further. She felt rather childish, as if she were playing some stupid game with the hardheaded man.

Loki: He snickered when he watched her attempt to ward him off with her movements, and then sniffed when she leaned back into her own comfortable position, quite nearly mocking him. His nostrils flared, but he then continued to act as though she did not move or do anything of the sort, and kept his lids heavy as he stared up to the ceiling, merely relaxing the pain away, as if there were no troubles in the back of his mind that were most obviously nagging at him.


	11. Chapter 11

Luna: She attempted to concentrate on keeping her mind delightfully empty, yet thoughts and concerns kept prowling and gnawing at the edges. How was she possibly to overcome S.H.I.E.L.D's security? There were plenty of systems and she knew most of the ways in which they functioned, which allowed her a chance to go around them or work them in her favor... Yet she would not put it past S.H.I.E.L.D. to have limitations and manners of security of which they did not inform her - after all, she was not one of the most important cogs in the mechanism of her organization, and therefore she would not be privy to all the information. Hopefully, she would be able to improvise one way or another, if it came to such a situation which she did not foresee, and hopefully, she would do so with his help. He expected a great lot of her, Loki did, and she knew that she was bound to fail him in one way or another; however, that did not matter all that much, as he expected something like that of her, as well.

Loki: He glanced over to her briefly in the moments of their silence, as she looked deep enough in thought for her not to notice. He was somewhat peaceful, without such thoughts of what was to occur and what situations he knew he could not get into with a mortal at hand. Because he now knew it bothered her, he asked, with a small sneer upon his lips: "What are you thinking?"

Luna: She was much too weary to present him with any other response than the utterly truthful one: "Of S.H.I.E.L.D's security," she murmured, not looking at him, keeping her eyes closed, instead, listing in her mind all of the devices and items and other similar paraphernalia which she knew how to work against. However, there were far too many for her to disable one by one, as the disabling of one or two would lead the others to take notice, and they would be upon them like moths to a flame. She would have to clone herself in order to shut them all off at once - but that still left more than plenty of room for suspicion, suspicion that would affect greatly their chances of successful escape.

Loki: He nodded, knowing that he would have to leave her in peace, for she was the only one between the both of them who would be able to do anything of the sort with the technology S.H.I.E.L.D. presented them. "I was thinking," he began, lifting a brow in her direction. "There is a main power source within this house, correct? Everything in the house feeds off of it..." he spawned the idea from the workings of the tesseract, he had to admit, but it was still an attempt to figure out what they were dealing with. "If one were to destroy it... or simply do away with it temporarily, would one be able to slip past it?" he asked curiously.

Luna: She sat up slightly from her reclining, opening her eyes and giving a small, thoughtful bite to her lower lip as her eyebrows lowered. She hummed musingly and looked at him with a curious glint in her eyes. "Now, that is an idea..." she sat up completely, though hardly suppressing a grunt that escaped her at the effort she put into rising like so. She did not know how she would in any way practice magic with him if it debilitated her in such a way - she would hardly be able to move if it continued in this manner.

"You are suggesting a black out in the entire household? That could work, but one would have to be incredibly quick, because it doesn't buy very much time at all. You see," she began explaining. "If the power was to go out in the house, S.H.I.E.L.D. would notice their devices stop working, and they would be here very soon afterwards to inspect what happened." Her forehead creased as she contemplated. "Besides, if we... wanted it to work better, for it to go a little more inconspicuously, we would have to do away with the entire neighborhood's power," her face brightened slightly, though there was still worry etched in her features. "That way, it could seem a little more of an accident, a coincidence, than anything planned. Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D's mechanisms need just a little more prodding to disable than just a simple black out, some of them I assume have features that keep them active even when the main power source through which they operate is cut off..." she rambled, now more to herself than to him, developing the idea that he presented her with, branching it and cutting off the things unusable.

Loki: He watched as she considered his idea, his head thoughtfully going at that which he would be able to use to his own thought processes. If he was keen to the workings of such devices, then he would know if he could, indeed, do more than he had originally hoped in helping his escape go as smoothly as possible. "Then would you be knowledgeable to which mechanisms do need, as you say, more prodding, and if so, do you believe you could debilitate them when presented with such an opportunity?" he asked, "Or... do you believe that one could deceive them, by chance?" he asked, fishing for more ideas, attempting to come up with the best clarification of his situation as possible.

Luna: She settled herself in a more comfortable position, one in which she would have something to prop her up, as she, herself, was unable to do so for the time being. "I do, yes," she confirmed with a nod, after some more thinking. She might just be able to work some way around those, but she could not spare time in attempting to learn them further, as any sort of probing might draw S.H.I.E.L.D's attention. There were very few things that wouldn't, and they really needed to single out those things and find a way efficient enough to overcome them. "It would all have to be done so very swiftly, with no mistakes or holes in the plan. No skipping steps unless absolutely necessary..." she lingered off in a quiet voice. There was no settled plan, let alone steps for it, but one was beginning to unravel slowly, carefully, the more she thought about it.

Loki: He nodded. "You are lucky that you have one such as I to ensure such a thing," he replied smugly, though he, himself would not be able to tell such a thing, as he was relying almost entirely on her to not deceive him in any way. She knew what would lie on the other side if she indeed did such a thing, but somehow, he doubted it. She would not risk even more of her life to go against such a plan, it was infallible...

Luna: "You're not being pleasant company. Stop it," she said with a roll of her eyes. She would find it so much more tolerable if he was not so insufferably arrogant at times, contrasting in such ways with his own pitiful words at times. He could be many things, she knew, if he only so wished, and it would make it easier on the both of them (though perhaps less fun for him), if he behaved appropriately.

Loki: He rolled his eyes in mockery of her. "I don't believe that was in the bargain," he added with another smirk. "You were the one who simply happened to end up with the god of chaos. Being _pleasant_ was hardly a guarantee. I intended to make things very difficult and watch you squirm," he knew he was now only pushing buttons for her, watching her grimace and writhe underneath the mockery.

Luna: "Oh, _now_ I see. You're intending on being such a pain that I'd rather choose to die than spend any more time with you. So you get to kill me, either way," she narrowed her eyes slightly, wanting to say many, many things to him, but irritated to the very bone for the fact that he would have her head for any more serious jabs that she gives him.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes, as well. "That is hardly my intention," he replied sourly."I am merely stating my nature, no matter what I do to change it. I do not _wish_ to kill you, otherwise I would have done so many times, regardless of your use. Do not say that again," he warned, his voice cold and his eyes hard.

Luna: "No need to state your nature, it shows more than clearly," she responded, her gaze meeting his own levelly, firmly. She would truly have to learn how to deal with the man during the time she is to spend with him, otherwise it'll be the end of her regardless.

Loki: "Wonderful! I have met my purpose then. The only purpose which I have as of... well, now," he replied bitterly, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation. The dreadful wench would be getting on his nerves more than enough, he could tell. Her bitterness might die down, and with it, he supposed such bitter remarks would also cease. Perhaps. Or perhaps she was doomed to always despise him. It was justifiable, he replied in his mind reflexively.

Luna: She exhaled exasperatedly and shook her head; she had to remind herself that any sort of bickering with him would be to no avail and would hold no point or purpose to it. Yet he so effectively provoked many thoughts in her that she wished to throw at him as sordidly as she could. It was his own fault for acting in such a way that would automatically repel people from him and kill each and every wish to spend any length of time in his presence. That was what he was obtaining, whether he wished for it or not.

Loki: "Silence now, hmm?" he pressed with another roll of his eyes, continuing the relaxed state of his body, leaning against the couch. "How boring," he added with his own sigh. Perhaps it was better that way...

Luna: "Yes, you are," she retorted almost instantly. Then, with another deep breath and a rub of her temples, she spoke again. "I feel like a damn child, Loki, arguing with you so pettily. It's ridiculous and it has no point, save for your endless amusement," she stressed the last two words with a tinge of contempt in her voice. "But you can't say that I don't irritate you as much as you irritate me."

Loki: "Perhaps because you are a child," he added smugly, the corners of his lips twisting upwards, pleased with another jab of his own. "You hardly irritate me, dear," he replied, blinking innocently at her and then chuckled again. That was a lie, however - she did have her own sort of irritation, but that would only prove her correct and he hardly wanted that.

Luna: He had a drive within himself to be difficult and unnerving, she decided; the milder aspects of his nature, she assumed. "Yet you are acting much like one, yourself, plainly," she said as she made herself comfortable upon the cushion once again, leaning against the armrest of the couch comfily.

Loki: He glared, his smile disappearing briefly, before hiding it, as he did not want to let her win any such argument. He acted as though he was hardly offended. "And perhaps that is just what I enjoy," he replied, shrugging. "If that is what your opinion upon my being is, then so be it."

Luna: "Alright, then," she resigned, folding her arms behind her head and taking her eyes off of him. "We digress," she said. "We are going to have to make a meticulous plan, as far as the escape is concerned. I might be able to take down the entire neighborhood's electricity, I think," she said thoughtfully. It would appear just slightly more innocent, yet… If she disappears with him, that would evoke suspicion, as well, and her main goal was to lessen the amounts of it as much as she could, as their time depended highly on it.

Loki: "Very good," he replied quietly, knowing his entertainment for this evening was well done for. She had had the last of it. "And what of you?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. "If we are to make sure they have as little suspicion as possible, they would go looking after you..." he added thoughtfully, his thoughts wandering off. "They would suspect that I would kill you. We should follow such suspicions if you wish not to be hunted after I am gone..."

Luna: She furrowed her eyebrows. "You mean, make it appear as if you did kill me and dispose of me?" she asked, her voice sounding far too casual for such topics, as if she were not at all discussing herself in such a twisted manner, which she found just a touch unsettling. He had a point, however, a point that could be elaborated into yet another piece of their plan.

Loki: He nodded, glancing over to her once more. "Yes," he replied. "As I did promise peace for you once I am gone, yes? I am afraid, dear, that is the only way..." he added.

Luna: She lowered her gaze as she pondered about his suggestion - no, a suggestion was not a proper word, for it implied that she could discard it, and he seldom left her with any choice. There were two sides to it - if they truly did make it appear as if he murdered her, that would leave S.H.I.E.L.D. with informing her friends and her brother of her death, leaving them to mourn her... She shuddered at the thought of just how such a lie might be accepted. And yet, on the other side, she might just end up in prison, if it ever came out that she aided Loki in any way. He was taking her away in the first place, so there shall inevitably be loss. Her lips pressed together tightly.

Loki: He remained still as she took this in, knowing that it was much for her to swallow in consideration that she quite possibly had a family that would find out about this, people who would mourn her death. But there was no other way, unless she would like to be punished by S.H.I.E.L.D. for something she had no choice in. She would oblige. His lips thinned into a straight line, knowing everything that had to be said was said. She knew what would happen, and she knew of the chances that she would take. She was going to help him whether she wanted to or not.

Luna: Minutes passed, and she was silent, trying to find a way out in her increasingly erratic mind. She did not wish to bring such hurt to the ones close to her, she did not want them to have to experience something like that, however temporarily (or perhaps, permanently, her mind filled in, for he might simply snap one day and end her life). She sighed and rubbed her face wearily, her heart sinking. "Very well..." she complied almost inaudibly. Perhaps she would be able to correct everything upon her return.

Loki: He nodded, looking back to her. "Good," he said, pleased that she would comply so easily to what had to be done. He gave a content sigh as he leaned back against the back of the couch, comfortable in knowing that everything would eventually become quite easy from then on. At least, to him. "So we shall fake your death," he added after a good long while of silence. "It shall look as though I killed you when I had the chance and then left..."

Luna: She nodded with only half of her mind acknowledging his words; the other part was still struggling to come to terms with the increasing difficulty of everything, whereas, on the other hand, he seemed brighter and brighter. "The power goes out completely accidentally - a mistake of the electrical company - I die and you make your escape… Once they realize that their devices have purposefully been disabled, we should be several steps ahead of them, I hope," she said, her voice distant, as if she were not speaking of the two of them, but rather of a story she heard.

Loki: He listened to the plan that they had concocted so far as she had begun to list everything they had decided up until that moment. "That sounds about right," he replied quietly. "And we do it fast... so I daresay we should plan out your alleged death beforehand, so we can simply... leave quickly and efficiently after you have tampered with the remaining devices," he added, glad this was coming together so very smoothly. He would taste freedom yet...

Luna: "Yes, yes," she agreed with another nod. "We'll arrange it completely before I cut off the power. We should make it look as convincing as possible, of course," she said musingly, her eyes gliding about the room slowly, touching and lingering upon certain parts of it that could be altered to make it appear as if he murdered her. "Signs of struggle..." she murmured more to the air around them than to either of them in particular. "Something broken, something turned over..." she continued mumbling under her breath, creating a scene in her mind's eye, where, in the utter confusion and hecticness, he would easily find her, and just as easily end her. It was as if she observed a film unravel in front of her eyes, as if she were but a watcher, not a participant.

Loki: He gave a noncommittal huff in recognition of what she said, all the while looking around the room as she did, seeing what could very well be adjusted so they would be just as convincing as if he would actually do so. Though, in all reality, all he had to do was walk up to her and snap her neck faster than she would even blink and it would be over, but she was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and he did so enjoy putting on a show. "Yes," he agreed with another swift nod. "We shall be creative," he added with a smirk.

Luna: Her eyes stopped their inspecting and moved to his own, gleaming excitedly in emerald. "Oh?" she asked simply, finding his smirk disconcerting, but it awoke curiosity within her. "What do you have in mind?"

Loki: "Something that would be worthwhile for your struggle," he said quietly. "Cleanly... I do not like having blood everywhere. It is disgusting," he replied, with an obvious hint of distaste in his lines. "Perhaps strangulation, seeing as how I am not guaranteed my usual weapon," he added thoughtfully, looking over to her curiously. "Did _you_ have anything in mind?"

Luna: She listened to him intently, glad that she felt so detached from the plan, as if they were devising it for someone entirely else. She wondered briefly if that is how it would continue to be when they finally enact it. "No blood, no... That would have been too much of a hassle, I'm guessing, and it would only be of further help to S.H.I.E.L.D." she agreed upon that part. "I have to say, though, that strangulation is something that I had in mind now, when I…when I looked about the room, that is simply the first thing that I… saw," she said slowly.

Loki: Loki nodded. "I suppose we think alike in such perspectives," he said with a grin, knowing she would be disturbed with the fact she thought similar to a mass killer, but at the moment, she seemed quite indifferent to the thought of a fake murder, even though he could have very well enacted. "It shall be interesting," he added.

Luna: "I'd be surprised if it wasn't," she said absentmindedly. "Fortunately, I have one quite savvy with murders, here," she looked pointedly at him. "Our scene _should_ be believable." He would know precisely what to do. And what was left for her to do but follow?

Loki: He smirked in amusement. "You do, yes. Or ask any Asgardian, truly," he replied lightly, with a shrug. "Murder, actually, has been my weakest quality, dear. Perhaps you should think upon that, in comparison to any other Asgardian you may ever come to know, before making any assumptions."

Luna: She gave a shrug of her own. "Weakest, perhaps, but a quality still present, existent nevertheless... Besides, from what I've gathered, you are skilled in battle, and even that could help more than if we relied on me to set the entire thing up." She knew that the Asgardians, and Aesir overall, were people of battle more so than anything else, so she assumed his words were no less than true.

Loki: "Yes, that is true," he agreed thoughtfully, as it would have served to be a compliment any other time he had not murdered a good number of her race.

Luna: "Now, all I have to do is find the lengths to which this neighborhood extends and see if I can bring it all down," she muttered pensively. Then, a shadow came across her eyes as she recalled a particular fact. "Oh... S.H.I.E.L.D. agents should be here soon… Whether today or some other day in the near future, I cannot remember," she said lowly. She didn't like the uncertainty, and it was not as if she could phone them and ask when they will be coming. Or, rather, she could, but at this point, she was paranoid enough and so intent on avoiding any skepticism possible that she would rather not take any chances. Their time would be tampered with, as she didn't know the exact time of the arrival...

Loki: He furrowed his brow, considering the fact that if there was any time for her not to keep her word with, it would be when the agents visit. His lips pulled down into a small frown. "For them to check to see if we both are still here?" he asked quietly, arching a brow in her direction. "Or to see that nothing like this is happening," he said, gesturing to the both of them.

Luna: She gave a nod. "Precisely, yes." She shifted her weight slightly. "For them to see if you're not giving me too much trouble," she said with a distasteful undertone. Oh, he was giving her trouble, but they expect him to be the only culprit in the story…

Loki: He smirked. "So I should not say a word and trust you to lie for me?" he said, though it was not a question, it was an expectation. "It is to be as though I never began talking to you. As though I am entirely compliant. Am I understood?" he pressed.

Luna: When he began speaking, it seemed to her as an inquiry, not a demand, to which it turned by the time he finished speaking, gaining an almost threatening note that she disliked. "Yes..." she said finally, reluctantly. 

Loki: "Very good," he said, smiling. "Then this shall pass, and all shall be well," he said confidently, "And you know what happens if it does not, yes?" he asked lightly, though he knew the girl should not be trembling when the agents do come. He did not wish to scare it out of her, as that would be too obvious...

Luna: Her heart almost skipped a beat at his words, his tone so polite, a delighted smile playing on his lips, at this point not even bearing the intimidating undertone, yet in that lay what scared her so very badly. She chose not to answer him, as she shrunk away from him slightly, more on instinct than on anything else, hating that she did such a thing and hating him for instilling such an urge within her.

Loki: Ah, well, so much for that thought. He shrugged it off, letting it go. He had confidence she would behave, he needn't threaten her more than he already did. She shrunk into herself, her eyes haunted and behind that, the obvious hint of hatred. "Very good," he repeated with a nod, and then turned away.

Luna: She attempted to relax and obtain some more ease to her fatigued body, the consequences of the past day or two showing on her body and in her mind. There was a small sense of wonder in her mind beneath the intimidation that he struck; he managed to appear as if he were talking about weather or something equally as regular, he is able to smile and be most courteous, without so much as a hint of anything vile or wicked in his voice, yet all of that is what made his words all the more threatening and twisted. It was deeply, disturbingly unsettling.

Loki: He folded his hands in front of him, quite optimistic of the events that were to unravel, knowing that freedom was so very close... that he would finally be able to breathe without some idiot monitoring him. He was above this prison, this silly Midgardian woman, and everything she entailed. It was impeccably frustrating, but he knew he finally had what he wanted. He would just have to now be as patient as possible in order to receive the rest of it.

Luna: She glanced at him, her mind returning to the two men who were supposed to arrive at some point in time, wondering just how the visit would go. She could lie, but she was nowhere near Loki's credibility when it came to such matters, and she could not do very much but hope that the agents would not see through her. How badly could it go? If Loki kept silent and full of contempt as he usually is, then there should be no problem - Luna would not have very much to say, as there would not be very much happening in the household where the tenants refuse to speak with each other. She might not even have to lie very much.

Loki: He glanced back when she glanced at him, giving another grin in her direction, seeing as how she was incredibly tense, her shoulders curved inwards, her hands toying with each other subconsciously. He couldn't have such a weak hand in such a vivid lie. "It shall go well," he reassured. "I shall make your lies easy, as you are so very dreadful at them, and they shall leave without so much as a second glance."

Luna: She returned her eyes to his, her eyebrows drawing together in an unnerved frown. How he fed off of her fear and her afflictions, it was sickening and it angered her so very much. "I am only dreadful at them when you are in question. The Liesmith knows, I know that. But they do not," she said, his offensive words sparking spite within her; she would very gladly prove to him that she could lie to those who were not him. Then, she scolded herself with a pang of realization that she would be taking pride in deliberately lying to somebody. Perhaps she was absolutely no better than he was.

Loki: He hummed noncommittally. "I shan't know until I see it for myself," he replied. How terrified and angered she was… He grinned, but kept it to himself. Her fire was enticing to him. All of this keeping her was so very much worth the amount of passion she put in to every word she said when she was like this. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes narrowed, her voice chilled with spite. He drank it in like his favorite wine.

Luna: "And see you shall," she said, forcing her voice to calmness, seeing the grin that kept growing and brightening, the more pleasure he derived from her anger, from her misery. Oh, absolutely disgusting.. However, her effort into keeping her anger low went askew and before she could help herself, she took the pillow that was behind her and threw it at his smug, smiling face, wishing to knock it off. She could hardly summon up enough energy to rise and move away from him after her rash action, but it felt good enough to almost be worth it. It was a mere pillow, she thought to herself, it would not hurt.

Loki: His brows rose as he watched her throw the pillow his way, and he caught it before it went anywhere near him. He was shocked, to say the least, but he only kept grinning, enjoying the harmless anger she had towards him. He contemplated throwing it back at her, but he merely held it up. "How threatening. I've had worse thrown my way, but I'd say this has to be the _most_ terrifying," he replied sarcastically, his delight evident. He then lightly threw it back in her direction. "But I don't need a pillow, much thanks, my dear."

Luna: She suppressed a groan, biting the inside of her lower lip for a small moment, in profound irritation. Why she bothered was beyond her, as it got her nowhere, and it gained her nothing but even further aggravation. She murmured a curse under her breath and even more quietly, a foul name directed at him as she caught the pillow and settled it back behind herself. She wanted to take the pillow - rather, something much more solid and firm - and have a go at him, over and over again. It provided her some solace to envision such a thing in her mind's eye. He was infuriating in such a ridiculous, almost child-like way; she felt as if she were arguing with a sibling.

Loki: He smirked at her comment that was not meant for his ears, an obscene name being uttered from her lips, he was certain he had been called many times before. "Oh, dear, what was that? I cannot hear you when you are mumbling..." he said with a chuckle and a shake of his head as she settled back down, the anger still evident upon her face. He would have at it for as long as he could, knowing she was much too frightened to do anything that would harm herself, in an intention of harming him.

Luna: She didn't know if she had enough control over herself to refrain from retorting to each and every little provocation he throws her way. She knew it would not end well for her, but she wished so very badly that he would just quit. She knew what inspired him, as well, as it was more than obvious, but it was not something that she had much say in, as her reactions got the best of her, to her even further dismay. "You are sickening..." she seethed, her voice bearing remnants of her attempt to restrain herself. She knew that her words would have no negative effect on him - quite the opposite, he'd enjoy it even more deeply.. She reined herself in and willed herself to stop reacting to his jabs and prods.

Loki: "Hmm," he muttered, with a quirk of his brow, his head leaning down into his hands as he looked over to her quite innocently. "I have heard that one before. But I was expecting something far more colorful, yet I see you're not wishing to be so very creative," he huffed as if truly disappointed with everything. He shrugged and shook his head. "No matter. I expect if I keep pushing, I'm sure I'll find some sort of colorful language of which I know you’re capable."

Luna: He was so theatrical, he was, with his overly inflated gestures and excessively prominent sighs and such similar reactions that it amused her as much as it panged her with vexation. What a peculiar being he was, driven by such abnormal things, gaining such satisfaction from them, so close to… mad. Her gaze was hard and cold as she focused it upon him. "I'm going to go ahead and ask for S.H.I.E.L.D. to retrieve that muzzle of yours," she said.

Loki: His gaze hardened suddenly, not at all amused by such a reaction. "You would not," he dared thickly. He despised the wretched thing. It hurt his jaw, ultimately, in its restraint – other than his dignity. How torturous it was for him to be kept silent, his voice – the only thing he could always rely on – gone, almost reminiscent of what could have been Odin's punishment, had he actually gone through with it. No, he would not allow for that.

Luna: She managed to successfully pluck at a nerve, she noticed, and a smirk touched the corners of her lips. She was unsure whether toying with him in such a way would backfire, but at least she got him to cease his cheerful, ridiculous quipping for the time being. Perhaps this is where she ought to stop... "I would," she murmured. It might just be easy, asking the agents, instead, as she doubted he would attack her in their presence, or them, as well, not when his freedom so highly depended on them. Oh, she could turn the visit around into something of use to her, most certainly... "I would..."

Loki: "No," he countered immediately after. "You _need_ my words," he pressed, his gaze continuing to harden when the corners of her lips turned upwards. His back straightened as he slid to the edge of the couch. No, this would not be a victory for her. "I will make it even more difficult for you, I swear it," he threatened, his voice growing icy as he continued to think about the restraint he despised. Now she knew a weakness... he inwardly scolded himself, wishing he didn't take such quick reactions to this. "I cannot teach you with silence," he added, knowing that, too, would play a card.

Luna: "Oh, but you can - it would go with a little more difficulty, but ultimately, it would not be impossible," she retorted, knowing that she was right. There was a duplicity within her, a duality which revolted her; she _was_ like him in some ways, she noticed, as now it was her turn to enjoy his anger, his irritation and his obviously fervid reactions to what she said. It gave her a delightful sense of satisfaction, which she enjoyed and despised at the same time. And yet, she was still afraid - if she did not choose a good moment to fall silent, he _could_ hurt her. There were no agents around momentarily who would prevent him from doing something horrid to her, and so, there was still danger at the moment.

Loki: "You would not dare, Luna," he threatened, regaining his calm and cool composure, leaning back into the couch as he could almost see the new spark in her eyes when he reacted so passionately against such a thing. He would not play the same game he played with her, no. He would not be entertainment to her. He smirked, regaining his own power. "If you so wish to make me uncomfortable, I shall make sure you know the same amount of discomfort. Nothing shall stop me," he added, tilting his head to the side, wondering how she could counter that.

Luna: She let out the smallest of scoffs, immediately after cursing herself in her mind for being such an easy target, for being so very weak and unable to put any sort of control on herself – in fact, he had more control over her than she did. His threats would not have had any real effect on her if she was not so absolutely certain that they were true and that they would be easily put into practice at the very first moment he saw fit. However, she mimicked his composure and even though it was clear that his words had an effect, the least she could do was lessen the visible amount upon her features, acting as if she had said nothing, as if he had heard nothing. Although, she was bracing for either a verbal assault or an actual, physical one.

Loki: He glared at her as she attempted to mimic his posture, leaning back casually. No, he could play the game better than she can. He knew it was a game before it even began. He just happened to cheat sometimes, but nonetheless, he always, in the end, won. At least, in his mind he did. "Very good," he replied smugly. "I do hope you know what is better for yourself," he added dully. Even if she did get the dreaded muzzle, he would find a way out of it. He knew he could with a bit of magic and strength that he did not have the last time it was placed on him. He could, ultimately, force her to do away with it, or convince her by other means. After all, actions spoke louder than words.

Luna: She maintained her breathing even, so as to not show him just to what lengths he influenced her, though she knew it could have been worse. She was glad that he decided to be calm and collected, instead of acting in a way that would not at all be pleasant for her. She gave a simple nod, deciding that it was time to stop, while she still had such an option. She looked away, thinking on the fact whether she would seek any help from the agents or not, though she very well could - she could leave with them when they arrived, and she could tell Fury everything and have the ordinary life of hers back. It was tempting, so very tempting; if Loki was to keep silent and not interfere, she might just...

Loki: He sighed, leaning his head back when she finally returned to the cold silence. Perhaps it was best he kept silent for now, he noted, knowing very well there was a good amount of weakness that may be exposed with the agents here. Luna could easily slip away from him if he did not remain keen on her every move, every motivation. He had to do something that kept her to him, some sort of leverage that would deeply influence her to stay with him so this scheme would not end. "Have you ever been kept silent before, Luna?" he asked quietly.

Luna: She lifted her gaze from the couch to him, eyeing him carefully. "No," she said, her voice just as quiet.

Loki: "I would suppose not," he replied briefly, with another shrug. "It is dreadful," he replied, his voice suddenly grim and solemn."Like being leashed... Shown to everyone as an animal. It is nowhere near the torture I was put through previously, but it is enough... Quite psychological, you Midgardians would say..."

Luna: Taking into consideration the fact that Loki's words were most often one of his most effective weapons, and not only that, but means of beguiling his way out of various situations, or using them to… It clicked in her head, what he was trying to accomplish now, when his words and his voice were very much so available. Of course he would not like to be silenced, as it took away one crucial, inexorably useful quality of his, thus taking away any chances for him to defend or offend. The area around her eyes tightened slightly as she listened, however, curious of the tortures; whatever they were, she doubted he would hesitate very much - if at all - in inflicting them upon anyone else. "I see..." she murmured, simply to give him some sort of a response. "I can see how it can work..."

Loki: He nodded, knowing she was wary of him, but he would make it so that this was only a conversation; he would not be so blatantly manipulative. "Yes," he replied with a sigh. "To silence the Silvertongue," he replied with a shake of his head, his hands folding in front of him once more as he toyed with the both of them. "You obviously see I do not wish for it, but I suppose, in the 'psychological' aspect of it, it happened to be quite the tool for taunting in my youth, as I was often weaker than those who I believed were my 'friends.' If I spoke too much, they often gagged me until I was silent and sometimes... simply left me there to do nothing but remain silent, until some unfortunate servant would come by and see me, considering I could not cry out…" he shuddered noticeably, making sure she saw it. "So you may see why I have such an.... aversion to it."

Luna: Her brow lowered as she listened intently to him, questioning in the back of her mind whether any of this was true, for he did not seem like the one to share such things, let alone with a mortal such as her. It was possible that it was the truth and that he bent it in a way that would convene him, for a particular purpose… It seemed as if she'd never move away from the first one or two steps with him. "People do such a thing?" she asked incredulously, genuinely wondering, yet only inquiring for the sake of continuing this, as she was curious to see how far he would go and what all he would say. "No wonder you..." she lingered off.

Loki: He arched a brow. "Why, yes," he replied simply, with another shrug. It was true, it had happened to him once; Thor found him sitting in one of the older gardens, silenced after he made a sarcastic remark to one of his peers. Come to find out, they had no idea he was the prince, for he was often, surprisingly enough, silent in his youth. "No wonder what?" he pressed curiously.

Luna: "No wonder you hate the mere idea of the muzzle," she maneuvered the truth, while her mind filled in on its own - no wonder he was so spiteful and so deranged. Such little things, as it appeared, sat upon his shoulders, one by one, piling and piling and piling, until one day, there was one too many, and thus his back was snapped.

Loki: He knew that was not what she wished to say so he merely gave a nod, as that was the reason for this little, humiliating story in the first place. "Yes," he replied, though there were many other reasons he did not wish for his jaw to be so restrained - it was impeccably uncomfortable, unbecoming... "I enjoy avoiding such memories at all costs, if I am to be truthful," he muttered, wondering if this little anecdote was taking any sort of effect on her as he wished it would.

Luna: Why, then, did he speak of it? she asked herself rather than him. "That's understandable… I would, too, if something such happened to me," she said with a small shrug. "As far as such things go, I've bickered with my brother, but no matter how foul it seemed at the time, it wasn't anything quite like what you have experienced..." she shared vaguely in return.

Loki: "No, I daresay it wasn't," he replied with a sigh. "You did not tell me you have a sibling," he added lightly, knowing she did not tell him much of anything, now that he thought of it. But perhaps this, too, would aid him.

Luna: "You did not ask," she said with a small raise of her eyebrows. She did not see any reason to inform him of any such thing, as he could very well find a way to use it against her. She saw no reason, still. "I am, yes. He is slightly older - by 2 and a half years." she gave him what seemed to be rather useless information.

Loki: He smirked. "How interesting. Thor is older than me by approximately 100 years – approximately 2 Midgardian years," he replied lightly. "Though that is not definite, as he is not my brother and the birth date I was told is most likely... not my actual birth date."

Luna: "Hmm.. Is the concept of celebrating one's birthday even existent on Asgard?" she asked. From what she has gathered, such celebrations would be something very, very frequent in their minds. "It must feel strange, not knowing just when you were born... But I'm not so sure that it is of much importance, in the end," she mused.

Loki: "Coming of age is celebrated," he noted. "It happens thrice in one's Aesir life. After that, it becomes redundant. However... the lack of knowledge regarding my birth date was recently discovered by myself..." he explained solemnly. "Most Aesir mark their lives by being born in the warm season or the cold season... I have no such thing, for I am not Aesir."

Luna: Her face lined slightly in curiosity. "What season were you told you were born in?" she asked, though the answer would make very little difference, as it may or may not have been so. "Though, how come you are unsure? If one marks it by such broad terms such as the cold or the warm season," she said, assuming automatically that seasons took relatively lengthy periods of the year. If they marked time with years to begin with. She rubbed her temples slightly in light frustration. "Even if you might not know the precise day, Odin could have at least guessed approximately, according to your approximate age at the time, just how long ago you were born, and so determining the season..."

Loki: He gave a smirk. "The cold season is what Frigga told me..." he replied, shaking his head, running fingers through his hair. "For an easy explanation as to why I had an aversion to the warmth and why people believed my skin was so cold," he scoffed. "However, I suppose Odin never cared enough for such a thing after he had stolen me. He might have been able to deduce such a thing, had he known for sure the aging of my kind..." He focused on her reactions steadily, wondering if there was still any sort of change that may come of her.

Luna: She nodded as a way to show him she was listening. The appearance of the Aesir that he had made it so very easy for her to neglect the fact that he was, in fact, of Jotunheim. From what she knew, the Aesir, and also the Vanir, if she was not mistaken, looked much like humans did, yet she has never seen a Jotun. She has seen various depictions and illustrations, though some differed so greatly from the others that she truly didn't know what they looked like. She eyed him curiously, that thought still lingering in her head. It would appear that even with his Aesir appearance, he managed to retain some Jotun-like qualities. "May I feel the cold?" she asked slowly, tentatively. "Of your skin, I mean," she added as clarification. She had experienced it earlier, when he held onto her wrist, but she was so very curious. She knew he said not to touch him, but perhaps...

Loki: He looked at her wearily. "No," he answered simply. She may be curious as to any other aspect of his life, but when it came down to touching him merely because she wished to experience the cold of his skin, he would have to draw the line. "I believe you know for yourself by now. I saw it in your eyes whenever you managed to..." He didn't finish, knowing very well she knew what he was wishing to say. He blinked slowly, knowing the fact he did not wish to be touched was almost incredibly childish, but it was still completely reasonable. At least, in his mind.

Luna: The slightest looks of disapproval and rejection flitted across her features, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. "Very well," she resigned, attempting not to take such a blunt answer to heart. She attempted to think of a bright side - if she ever wishes to repel him, she could merely threaten with the possibility of touching him. Of course, he showed that the need will drive him to get into physical contact with her, but she thought that, to an extent, she could use it to her favor, when necessary. "If we marked our lives with seasons, I would have been born in the cold one, as well," she noted aloud, trying to continue the conversation, though she was becoming increasingly tired.

Loki: He nodded, not caring less. Many Aesir had meaning to their lives as judged by the seasons they were born in - close to harvest season, and they were allegedly going to have many children; close to the warm season, and they would succeed in any war they face. He never was one to analyze such things, as for the cold season, when children were less likely to be born, it was allegedly thought that such children would be hard of heart. And of course, it was true. He simply didn't wish to accept it.

Luna: Beginning to realize that any further conversation might not be particularly fruitful, Luna looked longingly towards the staircase, atop which was her room, and her bed, her soft bed and her warm covers within which she could rest her sore body. If only she could be certain that she would make it up the stairs by the following day... She then looked back at the couch, and then back to him; she _could_ sleep here, she knew, as it presented no problem for her in the past, but would he move at all? Her eyes wandered over to the staircase again. She would feel slightly safer in the confines of her room - the living room was quite spacious, and thus, it seemed just a little more open, in her opinion. Slowly, so very slowly, she rose, standing for several moments to see if her legs would hold her. "If you have no need of me tonight, I think I will go and get some sleep," she informed him.

Loki: He furrowed his brow, seeing that she was, indeed tired, by the way she stood from the couch. "Very well," he replied, as if she was asking for his permission – as though she ever would. He did have to continue to make sure she was not going to attempt to escape, so he would follow her to his own room. He rose from the couch. "I shall retire as well," he said, making his own way to the staircase, hardly waiting for her to follow.

Luna: Her steps felt leaden, and yet somehow, her legs felt insubstantial, almost as if they were not her own. Gingerly, however, she reached the staircase, and with a determined breath, step by step, she went up them. One of her hands trailed along the wall on one side of the stairs, for support, and she, herself, leaned a little bit forward - if she were to fall, it would be better for her to do so forwards, and not backwards, where she could injure herself quite a bit. Loki was quite near in front of her, however, though she would rather break her own fall than reach out for him as any sort of aid.

Loki: He smirked as she slowly worked her way up the stairs and he simply acted as if he didn't see her struggle and continued to his own room, slamming the door shut and settling himself, entirely relaxed upon his bed, his head leaning back as he listened for any signs that she would have fallen down the stairs, in his own luck. How cruel his thoughts were... And yet, if she fell down the stairs, she would have to go to receive medical help and they most likely would either blame him, or replace her with someone quite possibly less likely to give in to his jabs and manipulation. He sighed, and then rose from the bed, quickly walking to stand upon the top step, ready to move if she fell.

Luna: Luna's eyes followed Loki as he shut himself in his room, yet when she was nearing the topmost step, he returned and stood nearby. Perplexed, she lowered her brows and eyed him curiously and inquisitively, making the step or two it took to reach the hallway at the top of the stairs. She exhaled slowly, loathing that she felt _this_ weakened - she couldn't remember the last time she felt this way - it was as if she has had hours upon hours of strenuous physical activity, non-stop. She could do little but hope that some sleep would take care of at least some of it. Her eyes still on him - why'd he return? - she shuffled her way past him, and towards her door. "Good night," she said before she entered her room, wondering, still.

Loki: Relieved that she didn't injure herself, he nodded as she pushed past him to the room. She gave him an odd look, probably wondering why he would bother to make sure she was okay. He shrugged it off and then walked to his own room, shutting the door behind him, taking a book he had kept up there and attempted to read it, so his mind would not go idle, his ears remaining attentive to anything that she may do against him, whether it be escape, or calling S.H.I.E.L.D. She was an intelligent girl, he assured himself repeatedly... she wouldn't be so idiotic.

Luna: Finally, her body found the comfort it sought in the bed, as she crawled underneath the cover and squirmed around in the increasing warmth, pleased. With several even, deep breaths, she allowed herself to relax as much as possible, now that she was in a position safe and secure. She felt as if she were mellow. She threw a glance out of the window - the darkness was failing, and there was a thin, lighter line upon the horizon - the morning was coming, and the hours which she had on her disposal to spend sleeping might be shortened, if the agents were to come as soon as tomorrow. Or, rather, later today, her mind corrected her. With the thought of having less sleep than she would've liked, she turned to her side, closed her eyes, and let the fatigue guide her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our apologies for taking so very long to post another chapter. The next one is coming out sooner.

Loki: He did not sleep that night, but that was no difference from any other night, really. He merely rested, with the house relatively silent and there being no movement in the room next to his. He placed the boring book off to the side and pulled the covers over him as he laid on his side, watching the sun rise. It was the most peace he could have asked for in his time on this dreaded realm. He often enjoyed watching the sun rise on Asgard, as well... watching the colors of the sky fade from deep purples and greens, and even dark crimsons to a lighter yellows and blues and pinks, the sun reflecting off of the water, and turning the sky into a more bluish texture. The transformation was immaculate and poetic... very unlike the ridiculous Midgardian sun and the few basic colors of the sky - blue, gray, and black. He eventually rose from his rest and went down the stairs to survey the food that Luna had stored, peering into the fridge and the cabinets where she tended to keep food. All of it was in peculiar packaging, full of plastic and cardboard, and he frowned in distaste. They tended to store their food as if it were going to be preserved through a war holocaust and beyond. He sighed, as most of the food required cooking and he had never cooked a day in his life. With a resigned sigh, he waited for the girl to wake and ask for food then, assuming his place on the couch.

Luna: After several insufficient hours of sleep, Luna squirmed awake at the moment when the sun managed to shine right through her window, as she had not drawn the curtains before she retired. The position of the sun aligned in such a way that the rays peered at the angle appropriate to hit Luna's face. She released a small, dissatisfied groan as she pulled the cover over her head, wishing to escape the dreaded thing she so often hid behind the curtains, to avoid this specific issue. Everything was quite silent, save for a car that rolled by but once, and several birds' distant, brief cries. It was still not the appropriate time for her to wake, and she knew she would require some more sleep, most likely later on, when the lack began to show. Her bed creaked softly as she sat up, emitting one more noise when she rose entirely, testing her body. She felt improvements, certainly - at least something good came out of the entire ordeal. More care of her body would not go amiss, but for now, food and clothes were in order.  
She descended approximately half an hour later, after a shower and some unperturbed changing of clothes - as opposed to the day prior. She was not surprised to find him on the couch, as he clearly marked it as his own particular place. She said nothing to him as she continued towards the kitchen, still brushing off the sleepiness.

Loki: The dreaded girl took so very long to awake and then get ready for the day, as it was nearing the afternoon and she had finally descended the stairs. His stomach was grumbling as he watched her wordlessly descend and head to the kitchen. He rose from his seat and then followed her, unsure of just what to ask, as he did not want to seem pathetic in asking her to make some sort of sustenance for him. His eyes narrowed as he decided.

Luna: She looked over her shoulder as he seemed to follow her, once again. She closed her eyes for a long moment, trying to come up with ways to get him out of her hair for at least some time. She situated herself at the counter after she had picked various things from the refrigerator and began making herself a sandwich or two. Her back was to him as she maneuvered the ingredients in her hands. "Is there something that you want, Loki?" she asked, finding that there was no need at all for her to be loud in any way - the house was quiet, itself, and he was not much too far away from her. She could feel him behind her so very clearly...

Loki: He looked at the food she was preparing herself, eying it curiously; it had some sort of meat and vegetable added to what looked to be a Midgardian form of bread, sliced and artificial-looking. His nostrils flared as he smelled the peculiar scent of some sort of mixture being added to it. "What is _that_?" he asked, eying her and then the food, knowing that was the last thing he'd want.

Luna: "Well, it's not a dead beaver, so there is no need to look like _that_ ," she pointed out with a small chuckle, though his pickiness could get on one's nerves quite easily. She lifted the small, red bottle up. "Ketchup," she said, pointing at the label. "It's made of tomatoes... Mostly," she said as she placed the sandwich upon a little round plate. She extended it towards him. "At least try before you make a decision. If you don't like it, spit it out. But don't claim you dislike it if you did not try it," she said, preparing another sandwich, for herself.

Loki: He looked at it as she extended it towards him, his stomach grumbling. "Tomatoes..." he repeated, though he was not sure whether he had seen such a thing before or not. Regardless, he wouldn't stand for her taunting of him and his food choices, so he took the plate anyway, placing it upon the small table as he sat down, observing it for a good long while before finally deciding to take a bite. The "ketchup", as she called it, tasted... quite putrid, but the rest of the "sandwich" was decent enough. After a few more bites, he got used to the taste of the "ketchup" and simply ignored it, as the meat was filling.

Luna: Once she was done preparing her own, she leaned against the counter, holding the plate in her hand as she ate standing. "The ingredients don't have to be such, you know." She gestured towards the fridge. "We can make it out of anything you think you'd like better," she offered, seeing his initial grimace, which she supposed was a reaction to the ketchup in question. However, he kept eating, for which she was grateful.

Loki: He looked over to her curiously. "Such as?" he pressed, placing the sandwich down, grabbing a paper napkin and wiped his mouth with it. "What else do you place on these... sandwiches?" he asked, wondering if that would be any better.

Luna: She mused briefly as she chewed. "Well, there's all sorts of cheese that you can put in, and just as many variations of meat.. You can put fresh, sliced vegetables, and for the basis, I suppose, you can have many sorts of spread - butter or cheese, again, or paté, or mayonnaise, or mustard or.." she shook her head "There are many condiments one can put in. Basically, whatever you gather in the fridge, you can make a sandwich out of it."

Loki: He recognized the cheese, as he figured it would be relatively similar to the Asgardian cheese, perhaps worse. But it was familiar all the same. He rose opened the fridge, looking for what would resemble the cheese he knew of, searching every shelf until he finally found it. And then, he took the plate that had the unfinished sandwich on it, offering it to her to eat as he wished to make something of his own.

Luna: Her eyes followed every movement of his, a small smirk upon her lips as she watched him operate around the kitchen, something that was not an every-day occurrence. She accepted the half-finished sandwich, disliking throwing food away or letting it go to waste. She stepped slightly away from the counter, enough to give him some room to work, but remaining close enough to help, if needed. How entertaining this situation was, she thought to herself, pleased.

Loki: He glanced at her as she watched him intently while he attempted to mimic what she did, taking the meat she put onto the the other sandwich and putting a good lot of it onto a piece of bread onto another plate, and then placed the slice of cheese on top along with a sort of leafy vegetable. He placed another piece of bread on top and contented himself with a rather plain sandwich, not wishing to risk having another sort of "spread" that he did not like being put onto it. He frowned as she seemed entertained by his whole dilemma, but continued to ignore her, eating his own creation.

Luna: "Better?" she asked with a pleasant smile, finishing the sandwich that he disliked and gave to her, instead. "One can even make a sweet sandwich, if one so chooses. It's quite an open bit of food, a sandwich,” she said thoughtfully, never really thinking of all the things a sandwich could consist of, not until this moment, when she had one who knew very little of it and required at least some explanation. How fun, she thought distantly.

Loki: He nodded once, biting into his more dull sandwich, figuring it to be better as tasteless rather than with something strong that he wouldn't like. "I am not one for sweet things," he replied between bites. He couldn't care less how one would make a sandwich, as he hoped he wouldn't have to do such a thing again.

Luna: "Surprise..." she murmured more to herself than to him, putting the dishes away and gathering all the scattered ingredients he has strewn across the counter, replacing them in their designated places in the refrigerator. She glanced out the window - it was rather sunny for September presently, she noticed silently - the sky was just a tinge bluer than it would usually be during such a month, and the wind seemed to have died down somewhat, for the time being.

Loki: He chose to ignore such a comment, rolling his eyes as he finished his sandwich, rising to place his plate along the counter, unsure of what else to do with it. "You said the agents were coming soon?" he pressed casually, lingering off to the side of the kitchen, watching her wearily. Perhaps he did need to sleep some time...

Luna: "Yes, soon. I can't tell how soon, however, because--" she cut her sentence short - or rather, the doorbell did. Her head snapped in the direction of the living room, of the front door. She threw a hasty look at Loki before striding rather quickly to open. She has had hardly any time to think of what she was to do with the agents, whether to seek help from them or not.. How easy it would be for her to leave when they do... The option seemed more and more appealing to her with each step further that she took towards the door.

Loki: He snapped his head to the door at the same time as she, walking quickly after her before standing off to the side. He needn't answer the door, for it would be odd and off-setting. Two agents stood in the door way, clad in black, their faces most obviously trained to be harsh and stern... much like the guards of Einherjar, showing little to no emotion at all. He could not let the girl get away with anything, so he had to be the one to speak, to not allow her to have a chance to even have a conversation concentrated only on her. One of the agents gave a smile to her before looking over to him, his fake smile fading. "Good afternoon," said the dark-haired one with a fake enthusiasm.

Luna: She returned the smiling gesture to both of the agents, giving them both acknowledging nods. She did not know these two particular agents, though she may have seen them around the buildings now and again - however, it did not matter, as she could not recall either of them. There was no need for them to exchange any information such as names; they knew hers and it was unnecessary for her to know theirs. Even if Loki and she were to stay and even if there were no plan of theirs, the next time agents showed up, there would be a different pair.  
"Good afternoon," she said, her greeting followed by an inquiry of whether they would like anything to drink. It was not a custom the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had, it was simple politeness.  
"No, no, we won't be staying longer than necessary," the other, lighter haired one with a rather prominent chin dimple said; he had what seemed to be a permanent frown on his face, as if he were born with it. "As you know, we're here to see how things are working out, if he is giving you any more trouble than assumed..." he lingered off, his eyes travelling to Loki in what was evident distaste.

Loki: Loki met the frowning man's eyes, mocking his look of distaste with one of his own. "Why must you assume _I_ am the one giving such trouble? It is she more often than not," he said, looking pointedly to Luna, a furrow to his brow as he looked back to the agent. "Offering me your dreaded food and even more ridiculous clothing," he added, making sure Luna had no input of her own. He shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval.  
The agents looked back at him oddly, looking at each other as though they did not expect him to speak at all.  
"I see," replied the dark-haired one nonchalantly. "I don't believe it is our job to offer you food that is more suitable," he replied stiffly, looking to Luna. "Nor is it hers."  
"Ah, no, she is only the sitter, is she not?" Loki replied, smirking, his arms crossing across his chest.

Luna: Luna blinked, momentary surprise flitting across her face as he blatantly went against his own orders; for a brief moment, she was just as surprised as the agents were. However, she lost the expression in order not to cause far too much suspicion. "I am, yes," she managed to put in instantly after Loki’s mouth closed for long enough, looking at him sternly, her eyes hard and bearing a question meant only for him to see. "As you can see, we _progressed_ ," she stressed the word bitterly and ironically. "Though he seldom says anything that is not critical," she added, standing a little closer to the front door and to the agents than to Loki.  
"Oh, I can see," the darker one said with a filthy look for Loki.  
"I could use a little time away," she began.

Loki: Loki tried not to react to her words, mirroring her step towards the door, making it so that he was equal distance to the door and agents as Luna was, his eyes narrowing only slightly before looking to the drone agents with a grin. "I think she very well deserves a break after this is all over," he added, looking with fake care over to Luna, his eyes glowing with fabricated pity. "I am sure once I am gone to Asgard, you shall give her quite a heavy salary, yes? A heavy award? She is quite the loyal worker. I daresay she deserves the best that is offered," he added, continuing to step closer to the agents, now closer than Luna, seeing that they, in reaction, leaned slightly back as if being repelled. So that was how this would unfold.  
"I am sure the Director will reward her for what she has done, yes," the dimple-chin replied, though his filthy look never truly diminished, no matter what Loki said, nor how honeyed his words were with nothing but reverence for the girl who had to put up with his whims.  
"Splendid," Loki replied with a grin, looking down to the shorter agents as they shuffled uneasily at his proximity, periodically passing glances to each other.

Luna: She watched with unease, though she took no step in any direction; she felt her time might be running out - if she could not convince the agents to take her with them, then she will simply follow them out and provide explanations on the way away. Loki seemed to be trying to assume control of the situation and of the conversation, she noticed, watching him almost herd the two men, working to suppress her words and her own attempts of escaping from him, as well as usher the men out as soon as he could.  
"How sweet you are, Loki, I'm sure they will repay me for my services," she said, her tone bearing not even traces of any sort of spite or anger. She then turned to the agents, inching closer to the door. "Despite that, however, he is... not a treat to be with. I'd like to stop by the office sometime soon to pick up some work that might have arrived in the meanwhile," she said.

Loki: He continued inching towards the door as she did, except going at a pace doubled of her own. He began speaking before she even ended her sentence, nearly cutting her off far before she was finished, as he knew now, inevitably, what she was trying to do. He guessed she would and it came as no surprise. But he would not let her have the reins, as the agents were paying more attention to the livelier of the two, which, to everyone’s surprise – including his own – was him. "I think she should unwind for the time being, as her work will continue soon enough, am I correct? Though her role is quite impressive. Languages are fascinating. Speaking of such breaks, have you any idea when I shall be returning home?" he pressed, feigning sincerity. "The sooner I am able to get through this, the faster things may just return to peace."  
The agents looked at him as they inched further towards the door, suspicious, but at the same time uncomfortable with his proximity and the pressing need to simply cease speaking to the imposing god. "We have not heard from Asgard in recent weeks. Not since receiving you," the light-haired one replied.  
"You’ll have the information as soon as we do," the darker haired man replied, now beginning to open the door as Loki leaned against the wall closest adjacent to the door casually.  
"Excellent. I appreciate your concern," Loki replied, giving a confident grin.

Luna: Her heart was thudding with increasing speed as she recalled his words of what should happen if she deliberately disobeyed his orders - things were not looking to be successful for her, she noticed grimly and with slight panic. She could not let the men leave without her, especially not after Loki had more than surely realized what she was attempting to do. She could not be left alone with him, not now, not after this. She threw a look at Loki, her eyes both anxious and irritating that he so obviously tried to sabotage her.  
"Perhaps you could take me to inquire, on my own? It would be good to know when this entire ordeal will end," she said, the tone of her voice raising slightly, in case Loki was to speak. "It's only fair, no?" she said.

Loki: He ignored the look Luna was giving him as she seemed to finally let the fact that he was not going to allow her silly ideas to realize. "I think they very clearly stated that they are not certain when, my lady. Your answer shan't be different elsewhere. You should rather rest, as you look quite strained," he added, his voice smoothed over with honey.  
"Yes, yes... Perhaps another time," the dark-haired agent replied, stepping out. “As I understand, time works quite differently upon his realm and it should not be for quite a while. You won’t be here much longer, ma'am."  
"We’ll return at regular intervals. Expect us within a week or two," he light-haired man replied anxiously, looking with disdain up to Loki as he stepped out as well.  
"Very well," Loki replied, with a most obvious sigh and roll of his eyes, indicating that this was the last place he wished to be. "I did so hope you came to retrieve me, but I suppose I shall only wait."

Luna: She almost groaned with frustration, wishing she could just let everything be known. She watched with a tinge of desperation the two men making their slow way out of the door, declining her offer - not without some careful prodding from Loki that she could more than plainly see, and wonder just how _they_ did not. How could they not see that something was so very wrong? Her eyebrows furrowed in a frown. "There are no news from S.H.I.E.L.D? Nothing?" she asked again, meeting a negative response once again. What could they have possibly deduced from such a short stay? "Are you sure you needn't inspect any further?" she asked, knowing that it might sound a little too suspicious, but she was grasping at straws at this point.  
"Things seem to be in order, ma'am," one of them said, though it was visible on his face that he distrusted Loki just as much as any normal person would have. "Besides, if there's any trouble, you know what to do."  
No, Luna’s mind nearly yelled, she _can't_ , are they bloody _stupid_?  
The door closed.

Loki: Loki helped with the shutting of the door, his smile disappearing the moment it closed, standing in the way of her and the door until they were in their car and preparing to leave. He glared at her, his arms crossed across his chest. "Very clever," he scoffed. "So quick to leave, are you?"

Luna: Anger flared in her once again as the sound of the car engine slowly dwindled into the distance. She glared at him, and although she couldn't deny there was fear in her, the utter, overwhelming irritation prevailed. She should have tried harder, she should not have let him speak over her as such. She took a step closer to him. She did not know what to shout at him first. "Of course I am! Do you think I'm exhilarated by the idea of being your little helper?"

Loki: He glared, stepping closer to her, as well. "Oh, of course not. Why should you be, you ridiculous girl?" he scoffed, shaking his head. "But how many times must I make this apparent to you... you are coming with me and if you do not, there are consequences. Only when you simply accept that this is your fate might everything be easier for you," he replied.

Luna: "Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?" she spat in aggravation. "It would be just the same as if I told _you_ : ‘Oh, Loki, simply accept that _this_ ’," she gestured to the house with her arms spreading on each side of her. "’Is your fate, and it'll be easier for you!’" her heart nearly outshone her thoughts in loudness, and she could feel it clearly echoing in her mind. Did he really think she would not try to go against the " _fate_ "?

Loki: His eyes widened at her sudden loudness, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "That is simply too bad, Luna.” He did not seem able to speak in anything but scoffs. "As we both know who is weaker here. Your pathetic excuse of a life with your 25 years of living and I, a god, who have lived far longer than you. It is you who is ridiculous at this moment, not I."

Luna: She froze in place for a moment, holding her breath and staring up at him incredulously. He cannot possibly pull this card _every single time_ , could he? It was getting infuriating beyond reason, his idiotic acts of superiority, his ridiculous behavior, his imbecilic belief that he was better, grander, all because of pure _chance_ that _he_ was born as a species different from her own. She did not know when she had stridden so close to him, though the next thing she was aware of was a stinging across the palm of her hand as she had swung it across Loki's face with all the strength that she could have mustered at that moment. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise of her own actions, but there was enough heat boiling in the pit of her stomach that could not have been cooled down in any way. He deserved it, and she could only wish that it could have hurt more.

Loki: She struck him! He looked at her incredulously, his eyes wide with shock that she would _dare_ strike him! He backed away, and though he did not feel but a slight sting as she swung her hand at his face - the short, defiant mortal! - he was still ridden with surprise. Without contemplating much upon what she just did, he grabbed her wrist before she placed it back at her side. The little wench she was! "Do not _dare_ strike me again," he threatened, his voice cold and hard, his eyes glaring down at her. "Or next time, you shall find yourself without a hand with which to do such a thing again. Do I make myself clear?" he asked, weighing every syllable heavily on his tongue, his words slow and acidic as his emerald eyes looked directly into her wide, dark ones.

Luna: Her chest rose and fell quickly as her breathing was shallow and swift. He caught her gaze and kept it just as firmly as he did her wrist. She was hardly blinking, and so was he. His words barely managed to penetrate into her mind, as her heart beat much too loudly in her chest for her own liking; she could feel her wrist pulsate. No matter how badly she wished to hit him again, she refrained from it, his words managing to leave a sufficient impression on her. However, she did not answer - she merely tugged at her arm, trying to wrench it out of his hold. "Let go.." she breathed out almost inaudibly.

Loki: He did not abide by her wishes, simply holding her where she was as she only tugged at it more harshly. " _Do I make myself clear_?" he hissed once more, his hand and eyes hardly moved from her plea as she seemed to ignore his threat.

Luna: There was still plenty of vexation remaining in her to fuel and lead her to continue to defy him. His threats were effective, oh, yes, but she could hardly care less. He was going to ruin her in any case, why _should_ she care? She might as well get some relief out of it. "Let. Go," she said through gritted teeth, her free hand grabbing his wrist in return, unbearably heated from all the adrenaline and the inexorable strength of everything coursing through her.

Loki: His eyes widened as he suddenly felt the heat of her hand grip his much cooler wrist, firmly grasping it. He dropped her much smaller hand, as if shocked from both the unbearable warmth and her grip, and pushed her arm away from him, more out of mere reflex than desire to continue and get a suitable response out of her. As he realized she did that on purpose, he backed away from her, glaring coldly at her. "Damn you, insufferable wench!" he seethed, his hands clenching at his sides.

Luna: Her breathing was ragged as she glowered at him with her eyes narrowed, her anger easily matching his own. Then, she began backing away, not turning his back on him for a moment until she reached the stairs, up which she ran more so than walked. Her mind struggled to process the entire situation that had unraveled in the past several minutes. She had hit him, and oh, how glad she was she did. There would be consequences, if not him severing her hand, then at the very least manifesting in his behavior. But at the moment, it was more than worth it; her palm stung and her wrist was sore, but it was worth it - worth the surprise on his face, worth the brief, shocked silence... _He_ was the insufferable one, thoughts raged in her mind, her jaw and her teeth clenched. She jumped to grab a hold of the little trap door that opened to the attic before striding up and shutting herself within its confines.

Loki: He watched her storm away and stood his ground, his jaw clenched firmly as he glared at her. She did hate him enough to slap him... to make him cease speaking to her. Thoughts flashed across his mind, remembering the last time he was slapped by a woman... the only other woman who would dare slap him – Sigyn.  
He had been ignoring her as she went on about some meaningless rant about the women of the court and how awfully she was treated, and when he made a snide remark, she struck him clear across his face. She struck him again when he denied her affection after her sons were born, but when _she_ slapped him, it stung. It wounded him internally, and he lived in guilt, doting upon her flowers from his garden or sweets until he grew bored once more...  
So did _this_ not sting? The girl found him entirely disagreeable, and he would have to stay through her hatred for the rest of the time he was on Midgard. Should he not be treating her better? She was giving up a family, a life of her own, no matter how pathetic, all because she was bending to his demands and learning magic while doing so. He huffed, setting himself back upon the couch, looking up to the ceiling. Surely there was something to be done to make this less detestable...


	13. Chapter 13

Luna: Closing the door, Luna walked over to the small window, pushed it up to open it, and leaned out of it almost halfway. The wind had picked up, as it was now tangling itself in her hair and bringing such refreshment to her hot cheeks. It felt as if the wind was helping to bring some order into her mind, blowing away the unnecessary thoughts while at the same time providing comfort for her flushed skin. Leaning her elbows against the slanted window's frame, she placed her head in her hands, trying to slacken her muscles and unwind somehow, anyhow... Bits of regret began to creep up into the fibers of her being - she should not have let this.. _thing_.. into her life. Oh, but how stupid she was. She chided herself relentlessly as minutes passed by, her head sinking lower into her hands.

Loki: Loki could not keep the thoughts out of his mind... of Sigyn, of what had transpired with her and what he just drove Luna to doing. He sank his head into his hands as he tried to determine what to do with the situation he's been confronted with. With a resigned sigh, after an hour of sitting on the couch in his own misery, he rose and walked slowly up the stairs to the door of the extra room he knew she often sought shelter in. He stood under it for a long while, sighing heavily before knocking on the door of the attic. He didn't expect her to reply, much less allow him to speak to her, so he simply wished to test the waters. "Luna?" he called, his voice gentle. "May I come up?" he asked.

Luna: As time went by, she sank from the window to underneath it, settling herself upon the floor, under the angled roof where she fit rather comfortably, thanks to her size. Her legs were bent at such an angle that she could rest her arms upon her knees and her head upon her arms. Her hair remained tousled by the wind, as she did not bother to do anything to make it look less in disarray. The time hardly helped with her upsetness, and though she did not cry, she spent quite a while keeping the tears at bay; anger simply managed to draw such things out of her more easily than she would have liked to admit. After some time, she heard the soft knock and a voice just as soft. She did not know why he was bothering.

Loki: "Luna..." he repeated, his voice with an undertone of a plea, knocking once more upon the door, as she did not reply. "Can we simply speak? Please?" he asked, trying his best to keep his impatience at bay. If he was to spend all this time with her, he needed to learn such a thing.

Luna: She lifted her head from her knees wearily and spoke in a voice matching - "Come on up…" She retreated further into the room and dropped her arms to encircle her knees, as she leaned against one of the empty, cardboard boxes that were stored so that they would not get in the way anywhere else. If he was coming up with a purpose to threaten her further, then she truly would not stand for it any longer. She didn't think she could handle any more of his impossible behavior, not today, and not for a while longer. She kept her eyes in a wary, tired expression as she watched for his arrival.

Loki: Upon being given the permission, he pulled down the door of the extra room, revealing the stairs she so often climbed up. Carefully and ever so slowly, he walked up them, revealing a dusty, unused room filled with cardboard boxes and a small window that went into the roof. The air was so thick one could slice through it with a knife, and he almost gagged with all the dust. After surveying the room, his eyes came upon Luna, curled up into a small ball, leaning against a box. His brow furrowed as he found the ceiling was much too low for him, so he had to crouch down in order to find an area to sit. "This is quite... small," he noted lightly, awkwardly finding a place a good distance away from her.

Luna: There was a slightly haunted look in her eyes as she watched him and the way that the shadows broke when they fell upon him. Luna had to rummage through the room quite a bit until she found an electrical socket to plug in one of the smaller lamps, and it was, since then, the only light source in the room - save for the moon, which would occasionally peep through the window for a certain amount of time before it continued on its way. She could hardly see all of Loki, and she could hardly discern his facial expressions, but she decided that that, too, did not matter. "So am I..." she noted in return, her head tilting slightly to the side as she took him in; he looked almost unnatural in such a space, as if everything else in the room was of the proper size and that he was ungainly in his height. She'd not ever seen him here before, and it was a sight to get used to.

Loki: He smirked and nodded. "You are," he replied, seeing as how there was a sort of emptiness behind her eyes, the way she looked at him. As if she was scarred in the worst way possible. "Where I come from, your height is almost unheard of, unless it is a child," he replied with a small smile, wondering if that would lighten the mood between the both of them, as the tenseness, along with the air, was thick. "Not to offend, my lady, simply... a fact," he said, putting his hands up in innocence. He didn't know what she would take as insult or what she wouldn't.

Luna: There was the smallest of frowns between her two eyebrows. "No offense taken. It can be amusing, picturing one of my height among such tall, fair people such as the Asgardians," she said with a shrug. "It'd draw some looks my way, I think," she added, not liking that particular part. Her eyes looked from the floorboards up to him and back, changing and flitting every so often.

Loki: He kept his smirk and chuckled, picturing little, dark-haired Luna standing amongst the tall, muscled, strong-featured, blond Asgardians. "Like a sore thumb, as Midgardians would say," he replied lightly. "They might mistake you for an elf or dwarf," he added as an afterthought.

Luna: She wondered how long they were to speak of such trivial matters and if it were a simple introduction to ease the tension between them before he moved on to what he truly wished to say - if there was anything such. "Were I a man, I would grow a mighty dwarven beard…" she murmured as a sort of an inside joke with herself, a slightly twisted smile coming to her lips. "I don't think I'd mind that too much," she said, and her mind continued - it might spare her the inferiority.

Loki: A chuckle left his lips. "That is quite a goal," he acknowledged, feeling his own chin as there was nothing there... and nothing would ever be there, he knew. "I suppose if I were capable, I would grow such a thing, too. Perhaps not a dwarven one, but... long enough," he replied, as this was often the fantasy of his youth until he eventually discovered there was no such hair to be grown. That should have been a clue from the beginning that he was still, truly, not like the others with whom he was surrounded.

Luna: She lifted her gaze from the ground yet again, to look upon him, this time her eyes lingering upon his angular jaw and his chin. She hummed thoughtfully before she spoke. "I don't think it would suit you. But that is simply my opinion," she said, a peculiar undertone to her voice; it was her opinion, and since it was hers, she doubted he would think much of it, if anything. She hardly mattered.

Loki: He considered it, taking note of her almost defensive tone as she stated such an opinion of hers, and then shrugged. "I suppose I shall never find out if it would or not. But you could imagine the disappointment of my youthful self when other boys were finding hair on their chin and mine never came," he remembered with a light chuckle.

Luna: "At least you don't have to trouble yourself with removing or maintaining it," she shrugged, unfurling her legs and letting them stretch out in front of her as she took several strands of her hair and began toying with them, falling silent. So he had such regular, youthful issues, himself...

Loki: "That is true," he added lightly, with a nod, and then let the silence reign for a few beats as he thought over the reason he desired to come up and speak with her, if not make her more comfortable with him. He was hardly experienced with such things, and he wondered himself whether it would actually work out in such a way. He hardly knew what to tell her without her exploding in another bout of anger. He huffed slightly, leaning himself upon one of the cardboard boxes. "Luna," he began shortly. "I... suppose I deserved your abuse..." he replied awkwardly, his voice almost too quiet, looking down to his hands. "I truly do not wish to harm you, and I suppose that should begin with myself not giving you any reason to harm me..."

Luna: Ah, there it was, she thought to herself as she heaved in a deep breath, bracing for the conversation he seemed determined on having, however uncertain he seemed momentarily. "True..." she said after several silent moments. "Have I, though? Have I harmed you, truly?" she asked, knowing that she could never muster up enough strength to match him in any physical way. "Apart from your conceit..." she mumbled more quietly, looking down at her lap more than at him. He seemed to have gone in search for her for a particular reason, and so far, it seemed as if he were intending on smoothing things out between them. To what purpose, she couldn't tell, and she doubted that she ever could. So, she kept silent, keeping her snappy remarks to herself, in order to give him an opportunity to say that which he wished.

Loki: A frown appeared between his brows. "Yes," he mumbled. "Apart from my... _conceit_ ," he added. "Not physically, of course, but..." he drifted off, shaking his head. Discussing sentiments was not what he wished to do. "Listen... Luna, I... I have more than enough enemies in the universe. As we are to spend a good deal of time with each other, I would not wish to be an enemy to you. I have spent more than enough time in the company of those who would rather have my head than have my words or accompaniment. I do not wish to continue such a trend."

Luna: She listened to him, though she did not feel any particular need to look at him as she did so; instead, she kept fidgeting with her hair with motions increasingly slow. Everything was so very quiet, she noticed in the back of her mind. She mulled his words over in her head. "It is possible, I believe... But the reason one might rather wish for your head than your words is because your words can be so very scathing at times." Her voice held nothing but earnest - there was no indication in her voice that she desired another argument or any more anger or pain. The words she was giving him now were not meant to insult. It was merely a very real issue that he might have to work on at least slightly if he truly did not wish to be her enemy.

Loki: He remained silent for a good long while, seeing as how her words showed no traces of anger or dissatisfaction, but rather a hint. "They do not call me Silvertongue without good reason," he replied coolly, arching a brow at her. He would have to watch his silver tongue around her. "One does not always think of something that tends to be an automatic source of defense..." he replied lowly, and since she was not looking at him, he would not look at her, either; instead, he looked out the window that glowed with the dimming light of day.

Luna: She looked at him for a brief moment from the corners of her eyes. "That is just it.. Until today, I... I did not wish to attack you or harm you. You defended yourself from things you thought might be invasive, and perhaps I am to blame for prodding so, but essentially, I would not have given you any reason to have to defend yourself," she murmured slowly, picking her words carefully and reining them in when they began to tumble out, instead.

Loki: He looked at her narrowly for a few moments. "You forget that by keeping you here, it is also in defense of myself," he replied, keeping his firm stature and tone, not wishing to accuse her so blatantly, but merely wishing to have her understand just what kind of situation he finds himself in. "I simply shan't allow this to _not_ happen..."

Luna: "I know… I know," she murmured lowly. "But then you.. endangered me, as well, and I did what you would have done," she fell silent for several moments before continuing. "I know that you do not want to be here, but you are bringing upon me a very similar thing that has been brought upon you." She wished she could maneuver her words more appropriately, more fittingly.

Loki: He frowned slightly at her reply, sitting up stiffly, looking at her through eyes still narrowed. "Ah, but is it so very similar, dear?" he asked, arching a brow. "As I do not recall... if you do not go through this, you get away free from me, perfectly capable of living a life with your family and forget of my existence, I do not believe you shall die at the end of this all, nor shall you be tortured, or held captive like some animal, and if that is finished, spit upon like dirt," he replied, his voice retaining a bit of stillness, despite the words he uttered. "Is that really similar? When it comes down to such... similarities... should you have the right to escape, to have the fighting chance, or should I? Hmm?"

Luna: Ever so slowly, she rose her head to look at him tentatively. Before she knew it, her thoughts began spilling out before she could separate those which she thought would be wiser to keep silent and those which she wished to tell him. Even those which she wished to voice came out slightly tattered, as if she were trying to weave something together with having absolutely no skill or experience in such a thing. He was right.

"You... your point is valid, and what angers me the most is the simple fact that there is _nothing_ that I can do about this situation. Perhaps you _should_ escape, I do not know, I do not know _you_ nor anything that you've done in your existence save for that which directly affected my own kind and if I were to look solely at that, then no, you should not deserve to escape, but I cannot judge by that and that alone, because _I don't know you_ and I don't understand, and if what you say is true, if such things do await for you, and if I'm what will give you a chance, then so be it. But what my problem is with all of this that it _has_ to involve someone for it all to function and it has to be me, and you _are_ going to take me away from my brother and my work and all that is familiar to me, you're going to thrust me in places I do not know and that I have not seen and…" she could not stop the words that were flooding out of her, and when she noticed the tears spilling down her face and her eyes stinging, her vision blurry, she cut off, angrily scrubbing at her face to wipe away all the traces; they kept coming, inevitably accompanying her words.

"I will have to leave him alone and he will believe me dead and my friends will believe me dead and I don't want to put them through that, Loki, I do not want to hurt them like that." Her chest began to ache dully as her voice increasingly quivered, though she was not yet sobbing. Every little word, every little action from the past several days caught up with her. She was hardly aware of what she was saying anymore, or to whom she was speaking - she just needed to get it all out before it festered further and made her truly snap. "He's going to be all alone..." she said, her head returning into her hands and her fingers running through her hair incessantly.

Loki: He watched in an awkward sort of shock as she seemed to slowly melt in front of him, starting out from the point in which she was passionate about what he was forcing her to do, to the point in which she was slowly breaking down in front of him. His lips parted slightly and his mouth dropped open as he listened to her words, unsure whether he was expecting such a reaction or not. He certainly has never dealt with anyone in such a state before, so very fragile and tender... He felt a certain urge to comfort her, as she was so very torn and broken and it was, most obviously, because of him and his ways of self preservation. He didn't demand her to do this as a personal vendetta against her; no, she merely ended up as the caretaker for him, and there was not much she could do about it.  
He didn't know what to do. For once. Or quite possibly many times before, but he would refuse to believe he lacked in any sort of confidence in the past, but now, he truly did not _know_ what to do, or how to comfort her , or have her cease crying so very much. Her words seemed to mesh together, but he had the basis of what she was saying, considering the fact she didn't know him enough, along with the fact she seemed to have a brother, and only a brother. She made it sound as though he were the only one.

So, she was parentless. Just as he was. He swallowed thickly as he scooted closer to her. "Luna..." he started, attempting to sound confident. "I... You..." he began, feeling as though he had nothing to say. "I did not know... that...I..." Yes, he had no clue as to what he was doing. Quite possibly making it worse. He pressed his lips together, sitting slightly closer to her now, as if his presence would do any sort of good for the poor girl.

Luna: She did not realize she was holding her breath until her body alarmed her and made her draw in the most shuddering of breaths – which she once again held. Her knees have found her way back to her chest and she now gripped them so tightly in her increasingly white fists. There was a very small part left of her reasonable mind to remind her whom she was around and just what she was doing, but the notice remained only that; she could not cease now that it wracked her so. She felt such an overwhelming desire to rid herself of everything that has been pestering her for the days past, and a great portion of that came through the tears that made wet trails down her face and matted her eyelashes and made her close her eyes in a desperate attempt to stop the flow. She quieted herself down, but that was all she could do about her crying. She heard his voice but she hardly understood his words, as she had trouble comprehending anything but her inescapable pain. "I cannot do this to them..." she kept murmuring over and over again. He would have no one and she did not want him to believe for _any_ period of time, however brief, that she was dead and that he was all alone. She did not want to inflict such loss to those she was close to, and it pained her more than anything else Loki could have done to _her_ directly. There was no way out, and the impossibility jarred her to the very core of her being.

Loki: He furrowed his brow, his continuing unease only worsening as he listened to her reiterating like a mantra that she could not do this. All the while, her tears fell down her cheeks and landed who knows where. He curled his hands into fists and uncurled them, considering all possible options he had at that current moment... Leaving her to her lonesome so she might cry on her own time, or if he should simply wait out the tears, and reassure her that she can very well return to her brother and her friends... How was a question he wasn't entirely sure he could answer... but surely there could be _some_ way. If there was a way for him to get what he wanted, there would be a way for her, as well.  
"Luna," he began again. "When I am gone, you could find them again and explain everything..." he suggested, his voice very stiff, almost entirely portraying the awkwardness he was feeling.

Luna: She shook her dazed head, the crying giving her head such a dull, pulsating ache. She then looked up at him, her eyes swimming in tears and her hair falling messily about her face, one of the strands attaching itself to her wet cheek. "I... I don't know if... if I can and even if I do, it's too much, I don't want him to think _that_ for even a minute, he does not need this..." she explained poorly, wishing that she could let him feel what she was feeling right now for just one moment, to ensure that he understands fully just what he is doing - not even to her, for she would survive him somehow, she would manage, she knew it - but to those close to her, through her... She could hardly see Loki's face through the moisture in her eyes, and she hardly gathered from his voice his intentions.

Loki: There was nothing he could do about it, but he couldn't say that... He continued to stare at her as her face was drenched with tears, red and puffy. What was he to do? He could not give his only chance up because of her brother... In fact, he blatantly refused to, but that did not stop the harsh pang of guilt – an odd sensation he had not felt in any recent past – come into his gut. He spoke with a frown. "Then what should you like me to do?" he pressed. "Let you find him, to tell him what is happening? Inform him of your definite return? Might I mention that would defeat the purpose of feigning your death..."

Luna: "It would not defeat the purpose, no…" she said through gathering her breath and trying to keep it this time, instead of letting it waste on sharp exhales and inaudible sobs. "He would not tell, I don't think..." she shook her head, faced with yet another affliction. She doubted he would tell, and perhaps, if she explained it well enough, he might even understand, yet she was unsure whether he could keep such knowledge to himself if he saw the friends she had mourning her. She knew that she, herself, would have difficulty not giving in and telling everybody, simply to give them a peace of mind. Perhaps... No. She shook her head continuously, entering yet another debate with herself; there would come a time where it would be one too many.

Loki: He sighed audibly, knowing that if he wished for her to be as comfortable as possible, he would allow this... "It is... up to you, dear. The purpose of faking your death has nothing to do with my escape... It is only to ensure the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. shan't find you and punish you for helping me," he explained. "If you tell him that if he tells anyone else, it shall destroy any opportunity you might have of a normal life... Perhaps then he shall listen," he decided, unsure if this was too cold and thoughtless, or if he was truly helping the situation. He could not tell...

Luna: She wiped her eyes with the inner side of her wrist, clearing her vision so that she might look at him better; there was now a clear hint of hope in her dark eyes that things might not have to go as difficultly as they could. "He… he wouldn't tell.. Not if I explain it to him," she said, clearing her throat slightly, her voice bearing a tinge of hoarseness. She knew that she could never return to where she used to live, or anywhere near S.H.I.E.L.D. What would be the point of leading them to believe she was dead if she was to return and prove it wrong? She saw no plausible excuse that she could give them that would keep her out of prison. Her brother would have to come to her, instead. No, she could certainly not return - not to her house, nor to her work, nor to anything that connected her to her life, as it could easily connect it with S.H.I.E.L.D. Her brother would be the only thing remaining. "And you are telling me this truthfully? You won't change your mind about it?" she pressed with a little more stability to her voice, though she felt so very weak.

Loki: He shrugged, his brow continuing to be furrowed as he looked over her weakened state, while she was wiping her eyes dry. So he was successfully gaining her favor. This pleased him, as well. "If you hold up your end of the bargain, I do not see why this should be such an issue... if you trust him enough," he replied quietly, his eyes earnest as he looked into hers. "It is what you shall live with when I am gone," he added, as this would hardly be an issue for him once they have managed to escape. "If that is all you are worried about..." he added with another shrug.

Luna: It was far from all, she thought to herself sadly, but this... This would help. She did not see there being any other way, if she were to spare her brother the pain. If she could, she would have spared them all, but as that was not possible, she would gladly focus on the sole thing that was. She but hoped that he would take the information as she intended him to. "Please... If you and Zane come into any sort of contact, do not say anything that might anger him, ‘cause it might give him a reason to put you away," she pleaded. He ought to let her do the talking, if she were to be successfully convincing.

Loki: Finally, he reluctantly nodded. "You believe that I wouldn't assume that from the beginning? Those are not my matters," he replied evenly. No, he clearly stated he behaves in such ways when there was a need for him to defend himself; however, the fact that she was trying to convince her brother that everything will be fine, that her own safety is in danger if he tells S.H.I.E.L.D. of her whereabouts and what she has done, then he would hope to be far off in the branches of Yggdrasil by then. "As long as he swears to not do such a thing on a whim... To, as you say, put me away."

Luna: She nodded in acquiescence before averting her gaze once again, focusing it back upon her lap, her legs slowly returning to the position they were in before she so pathetically wept in front of him. She wrung her hands slightly, toying with her fingers as she tried to put pieces together in her head, just what she was to tell her sibling; despite the fact that her mind was nowhere near a state fit for such musings yet.

Loki: He frowned slightly, seeing as how the girl was quite beaten, quite ruined... There was more there, more reason as to why she couldn't leave her brother in the dust. She lost her parents and he had none. They were both orphans, but she most likely had to watch her parents leave, and his parents simply abandoned him before he could even be aware of such a thing transpiring. It was quite a different situation. "If... If you do not mind my asking... How did they go? As you say you only have your brother..."

Luna: She was brought out of her foggy plans by his quiet, inquisitive voice. After several seconds of silence and attempting to raise her gaze to meet his, she finally did; her eyes were focused upon him, and when she began talking, it was as if she were speaking of someone else's story, and not her own. She distanced herself as far away from it as she could, lest she fell apart in front of the man yet again. "They died in a car accident when I was 19," she said simply, quietly, trying not to sound distant, trying so very hard not to return to the moment when she was told. She concentrated on Loki, sitting before her, struggling to pay attention solely on him.

Loki: His frown deepened. Ah, those Midgardian vehicles of transportation caused a great many deaths. It was only six years ago for her, then. A very short time. The way she looked at him, though, it might as well have been the day before last. "I am very sorry," he replied sincerely, looking into her eyes that were staring through him, rather than at him.

Luna: Her gaze ventured once more to the ground, along with several tears that stained her face once again, though she had wiped them off before they had a chance to reach her jaw. She sat in silence as she tried to remain in the attic, with Loki, and not return to 6 years ago, to her family home. "Thank you..." she said almost inaudibly, unknowingly shifting her weight and wrapping her arms slowly around herself, as an embrace that only she could give herself at the moment.

Loki: He nodded curtly, unsure of what much else to do besides scoot slightly closer to her, as if that would comfort her... She seemed to embrace herself, however, and that would be enough. Anything so she would not have to touch him. What else was he supposed to say? How was he supposed to know of such things? He retained his frown, sitting there awkwardly. "Would you like me to leave?" he asked after a few more beats of silence.

Luna: Her eyebrows furrowed as he had asked a question of whose answer she was unsure. _Did_ she want him to leave? For the time being, he was not doing anything to worsen her mood, yet as far as she knew, he could do so at any time - so, perhaps, it would be wiser of him to leave. Not to mention the fact that she had so openly cried in front of him and thus humiliated herself even further - at the thought, she shrunk slightly - and she was unsure of what help, if any, he could be. Yet on the other hand, if she was left alone now, there would be hardly anything to stop her from reliving that day once again and tormenting herself even further. No, this way, he was a distraction, as good as any. She scooted closer to him. "Stay..."

Loki: He raised his brows, perfectly prepared for her to ask him to leave, as he had done enough damage already. He even rose slightly in order to begin working his way out of the cramped space she called an attic. But when she said to stay, he sank back down to the floor with a nod, taking notice of her increasing closeness. Almost uncomfortable closeness. He swallowed and tried not to stiffen when she came near of her own doing, rather than his. "Very well," he replied, looking over to her from the corners of his eyes warily. "What do you wish to speak of? If anything?" he asked. "Perhaps another story?" He knew that would successfully distract her... He would say something that would serve only to distract her, not to cause her pity... His childhood, after all, was not all _too_ horrible.

Luna: She was close enough for her head to simply tilt sideways and lean against his shoulder and his arm, which is what it did; she hardly felt like herself at the moment, the only thing in her mind the desire to get as far away from all the pressing troubles that weighed so heavily on her. She disregarded much of everything - who she was, who he was, where the two of them were, all that was and all that will be. There was only the dusty attic and his offer. "A story, if you please..." she murmured, her eyes staring in front of her, yet not at anything in particular. She felt the cold of his skin penetrate through his shirt and cool her cheek down.

Loki: He stiffened noticeably, suddenly feeling the soft, warm skin of her cheek and, by extension, her head being leaned against his shoulder. His eyes widened slightly as she did so, as if assuming a position of comfort without thinking of his exact wishes. He looked down at her, seeing that she was relaxed against him, as if what had transpired the past few days between them had not happened at all. His mind that was thrown askew by her sudden touch scrambled to find a humorous or interesting story to tell her. Surely there was something... He struggled for a bit, trying to calm himself down as he had not the heart to throw her off of him. He would have done so any earlier than this moment, but there was something in his gut telling him not to... To instead calm down and accept that she was touching him and there was very, very little chance that she would harm him or torture him or do anything that caused him to become this way in the first place.  
"Would you like to know of my first trick?" he asked, his voice anything but comforting as it came out nearly forced.

Luna: She felt him grow stiller than she assumed he was beforehand, and the tone of his voice confirmed that it was, indeed, because of her. She lifted her head up slightly, parting it from his shirt and his limb. "I…” she began unsurely. “May I, please?" she asked, gesturing with a nod of her head to his shoulder. "I'm sorry I did not ask," she added, as it only now occurred to her that it would have been a proper way, much more so than what she did. Her voice held a small note of a plea within itself. There was no questioning in her mind, no trying to dig up a reason behind her actions, and almost no hesitation about asking him. Almost. All she knew was that it helped.

Loki: He reluctantly gave a slight nod, taking a deep inhale before letting it out. He found he did not have to voice any sort of reaction and simply allow her do what she wished, despite the fact he had not intentionally touched another in a good long while. He shifted slightly, making sure she was not too close that she would touch any other part of him, but close enough. He then tried to think of a story he was going to tell her.

"Ah... Well..." he began. "In my youth, as I have said many times, I had a fascination with magic. I played small tricks upon the servants, from making wine into small snakes or placing..." he chuckled lightly at the memory of it. "Placing a spider upon the head of one... But there was one in particular I found quite... quite fascinating. While reading in the library, an attractive daughter of a nobleman came and sat down upon her seat and began to read. I watched her, admiring her beauty, and at the same time wondering how I should be noticed... As any boy driven with desire would. So, instead of her reading the book to herself, I projected my voice into her ear and quoted from it, as I had already read it. She paled as if she saw a ghost, but I only sneaked up behind her, and continued reading from where it seemed she had left off... We became... an interesting pair of friends after..." She just happened to be his first kiss, he noted in the back of his mind. Not intentionally, of course, no, as she kissed him while she believed him to be asleep, and when he "awoke" she was atop him. He pretended to spew hatred at her, but deep down, he knew what he wanted. She became the first woman he bedded, as well.

Luna: She returned her head upon his shoulder, this time closing her eyes and allowing his quiet voice to present at least some sort of consolation, diversion, anything. She listened to him closely, and though his story might have elicited an entertained smile from her any other time, this time her face remained blank, as she could not find in herself any willpower or desire to move a single muscle. She wondered briefly just what "an interesting pair of friends" meant for him. "I would not have liked to have a spider upon my head. Snakes are tolerable at the very least, but spiders..." she gave a weak shudder and she settled her head more comfortably against him. "That is a trick I'd have liked to see. I didn't know magic could be used for such a purpose. In fact, I don't think I know many purposes of magic." She spoke in a voice almost monotonous, though it bore just a hint of a possible smile when she envisioned this particular trick he used.

Loki: He shrugged, almost forgetting her head was on top of his shoulder, and then stopped himself. "I don't believe the servants enjoyed either bit of it," he replied. "However, there are many, many uses for magic. There is not a set boundary, truly... except that it cannot grant life to the dead. Well, I am sure it could, but I honestly doubt one would want to see such a thing. Nor would the dead like to come back to life, either..." he lingered off with a shudder at the visualization of such an occurrence. "One can heal oneself or another, transport, disappear, conjure..." He shook his head slightly. "Anything, really..."

Luna: She released a wistful sigh, finding the cold of his body almost as soothing as his telling. Limitless, the word echoed in her head, leaving quite an impression upon her. "So you... You were able to do just about anything?" she said slowly, considering it. He and magic were so closely entwined that at one point, one became part of the other; she wondered just how it felt for him to have it taken away as such, as it truly was an almost vital part of him, from what she gathered. Her eyes shut a little more tightly at such a dreadful thought - she knew for absolute certain, even now, even with the little magic that was bestowed upon her, that she would never, ever wish to stop being able to at least feel it (as she, herself, could not put it to much use for the time being).

Loki: "Anything I willed myself to," he responded, feeling the familiar bit of emptiness come into his gut. He had it often. A sort of starved, yearning feeling that started the very moment Odin drained him of all magical energies, cursing him with the inability to even sense it. It was like a hole had been left within him, a peculiar emptiness that nothing – not food, not mead, not women, not books – could fill. And it hurt. Not in the physical sense, but in the way that he consistently felt empty. It was filling once more, he knew, as he inched his painful way through the curse and reaching his magic, but it simply was not the same. But he would be damned if he did not restore it.

Luna: "That is... So, so very fascinating," she murmured, wondering if she would ever reach any point more powerful in wielding magic, if she would have enough time or strength or even chance to at least try and obtain such a thing. Healing, transportation, disappearing... She shook her head slightly, her cheek rubbing slightly against him as she did so. Oh, the things she would do, if only she could… "My brother, he is a doctor – a surgeon," she said, wondering how healing magic worked, in comparison to the healing with which she was familiar.

Loki: "A Midgardian healer," he replied with a nod of recognition. "Yes, I am familiar. I am not the most apt to healing as I tend not to... have to use such a thing unless I gravely need it. A bit of pride, I suppose..." he drifted off. "It is slightly less... physical than the Midgardian healing, but ultimately the same, with less of a risk of infection or further injury simply because nothing physical is being used," he explained. "But it takes years of work, patience, and ultimately, using yourself as a subject, as well, at times. You do not want to try on another..."

Luna: Her head turned upwards to give him a look that was now slowly ceasing to be bland and empty, for a tiny glimmer of curiosity had appeared within. "Why not?" she asked, wondering if such healing would coincide with what she had always envisioned in her mind's eye whenever she encountered such a thing in the books she has read.

Loki: "Because it can gravely injure another if you use so much of the energies... Only you can know, yourself, what you are using and in which way… You will sense more than potently if you are successfully healing yourself, but you are blind to it if you start by helping another," he explained, looking down to her just as she looked up, quite suddenly face-to-face... closer than they had been intentionally. He looked away almost immediately, shocked to have her face so close to his.

Luna: Once he looked away from her (quite hastily, she noticed), she turned her head back down and continued to stare through things, her eyes wandering aimlessly and touching upon this box and that floorboard and from the lamp to Loki's legs, then to her own, never lingering in one spot for more than several seconds. "Do you think that, perhaps, if I progress enough, you could teach me a bit of that...?" she asked slowly, timidly. Out of many things he could teach her - granted, of course, if she ever reached a level high enough - healing was one of the things that had interested her the very most. It would be so very convenient and useful, she thought; she had watched her brother study relentlessly from piles upon piles of books, each one thicker than the previous one... It was one of the vastest fields, Luna knew. She entertained herself by helping Zane study, listening to him speak relentlessly of everything he had to know flawlessly... Bits and pieces have remained in Luna's head, still, and she could not help but wonder just how much better things would be on her planet if there was a thing practiced such as the magical healing.

Loki: He considered it for a moment, imagining a mortal healing herself and found himself stunned, if not fixated on that very fact. "If you so wish it..." he replied reluctantly with a hesitant nod. "If you do reach such a level, I am sure it should come quite useful," he added, knowing mortals were so easily injured. Just the cut of a knife would make them bleed, perhaps even become unable to stop such bleeding, and eventually die. He glanced at her and then continued looking elsewhere. "It is quite strenuous, however... so if anything, it should be one of the last things I teach."

Luna: "Strenuous or not, it is something that I would want enough to disregard the potential hardships," she said with more determination that she expected to hear in her own voice. If she could find any true use to magic, it would be healing. Other matters that he could teach her may well be less important, even though that was only her presumption - she did not know what the man was intending on teaching her in the first place; however, she doubted that anything on par with healing - such as transportation or something such - would be possible for her to learn in the time that they had on their disposal.

Loki: He raised his brows slightly, almost surprised by her sudden confident nature upon the topic of healing. She was so very determined. He could almost hear himself behind those words. " _I care not if it is difficult, just teach it to me!_ " he would often exclaim to his alleged "teacher" who ended up doing very little for him. It was difficult for another to simply keep up with his short temper and infinite will to learn what he wished to learn. If anything, the teacher should have expected that. "Yes, very well," was what his "teacher" would say, and that was what he replied to Luna. "There is no reason you shouldn't try," he added.

Luna: There was a ghost of a pleased smile on her face – quite faint, at that. Her crying and her troubles had taken a much greater toll on her than she would have liked, to the point where it hindered her from reacting like a proper human being should; it was as if all the emotions drained out of her through her tears. "Good. Good..." she murmured to them both, glad that he would at least present her with such a chance. Her eyes closed once again as her head so very slowly lulled back and forth, her cheek rubbing ever so slightly against the soft, cool fabric of his shirt. "I _am_ intending on taking as much of your knowledge as I can, while I can," she admitted.

Loki: He could feel the warmth of her cheek rub constantly against him, as if it radiated warmth, and he could feel it through the thin button-up shirt he often wore. "Consider me your personal library," he replied dryly, looking to her once more, as she seemed to be so fatigued once more. He blinked a few times, as he had almost forgotten about the fact she was touching him, and for once it only came to the back of his mind. The only reminder he had within his mind was the fact that her warmth was almost... comfortable. No, why should it be? He scolded himself instantly. He hated the warmth. Like any frost giant should.

Luna: "Ah, very well, then, if you insist," she muttered and squirmed, only to ensure that she still felt her body properly. The last several days were so very tiresome to her, to the point where she began to wonder whether she would ever be fully rested again. "You _are_ like a library, though," she added musingly. She wondered if he could provide a correct answer to each and every little question of hers; he certainly seemed as if he might.

Loki: A slightly pleased smirk appeared on his lips. "I suppose the place in which I would spend the majority of my time somehow became me," he replied with a tinge of humor behind his voice. "Simply because I wish to pursue and succeed, and having more than enough resources and time to do such a thing... I seem to have this impeccable yet horrifying ability of recall, as well..." Yes, it was horrifying. He could remember each and every pain, each feeling, each emotion. He could remember just where the snake's venom hit him, just how many times Sigyn emptied the bowl, just how much hair he cut off of Sif's head... Anything and everything was subjected to his memory.

Luna: "I can't decide whether that's good or bad..." she said thoughtfully. "I can't imagine what's on your mind, being as old as you are and having a supposedly good memory," she added. Having the ability to recall with such clarity could very well be useful, yet, naturally, there happened such moments in life which would best go forgotten. Perhaps, if his mind was as strong as it appeared, he could shove those moments out if necessary... He certainly seemed to have quite a number of those; perhaps, if he could have forgotten, he may not be who he was presently. Such a vast topic, memory, Luna thought to herself; one she could hardly form a one-way opinion of.

Loki: He nodded curtly, knowing that thoughts would often invade his mind in such ways that he could not sleep, he could not rest, he could not do much of anything as he should until they were gone. He sighed before he spoke. "Why, yes..." he replied and then shook his head. "But it is not very good if one desires sleep some nights... If one merely wishes for peace within their own mind. Others who are just as old or older simply... forget. But it is as if I cannot choose to. There is no other option..."

Luna: Although she was silent for quite a while after his words, she did nod to let him know she was, indeed, listening. "There are always the good sides that make it just the slightest bit better, when it comes to remembering," she murmured after some time. She, too, would have enjoyed forgetting some things - it was a trait shared by all whom she knew, and she assumed even those whom she did not. She found a small similarity between the two of them, however, concerning nights that were spent utterly awake, for the mind would not fall silent for the short amount of time it would have taken her to fall asleep.

Loki: "If you find them, do let me know," he replied somberly, looking at her with an arched brow; she seemed to also be deep in thought while listening to him speak. "If there was any such good thing to the trait, I daresay I would not be here right now," he added quietly, just above her hearing level. "I would be back in Asgard as a prince... It would all be a lie, but I could be just as ignorant as the rest of them and simply take it."

Luna: Her brows furrowed as she tilted her head up to look at him once again. "Well, you are regaining your magic," she said as if he should very obviously be at least content about that, if not happy. She watched the side of his face as she spoke, being closer to it than she ever thought she would be. "You're getting your chance at escaping. I'd be quite pleased, I dare say," she gave a small shrug, choosing to let her head remain tilted, in order to look at him, his reactions - if he so chose to show any.

Loki: "Escape… to where? Only to wander aimlessly through the branches of Yggdrasil?" he replied stiffly. "To painfully regain my magic out of desperation? Yes, it seems like it all is looking up, indeed," he replied, his voice dry and passive, though inside, it only angered him. That he should be forced to live in such a way simply because he cannot call anywhere home.

Luna: "The way I see it - and do correct me if I'm wrong," which he inevitably would, she knew. "It is either wandering aimlessly, alone, wherever you may like, _or_ – either dying, or spending the rest of your existence under torture, in a cell," she rose her hands slightly, as if they were scales - the two were incomparable, truly. If it were she in his shoes, even the loneliness that he made sound so terrible would be infinitely better than what he claimed would be the other alternative. She looked at him with a rather perplexed expression on her face, wondering just how he could be in such a foul mood, still, especially after being so irritatingly satisfied not too long ago.

Loki: "Indeed, it is better, but it is..." he drifted off, looking to her, seeing her confused expression, and he decided to somewhat explain. His brow furrowed more and more deeply as he spoke. "I was a _prince_... not only a prince, but a prince of _Asgard_... The greatest realm there should ever be. I had a life one would kill mercilessly to have. I had a position one would only dream of having," he explained. "And to leave such a life and end up here or upon any other lesser realm..." he shook his head, not wishing to elaborate on emotions, but simply explained why all of this is still _wrong_... He used to believe he deserved better. No. He still believes he deserves better.

Luna: "Ah.. I see," she said lowly. "Make no mistake, however... I cannot – and I will not – claim that I understand, because even if I tried, I would only get so far. The experience is not mine, thus I can't ever fully know," she said, her voice just slightly above a whisper. Oh, yes, it did seem as if he had all one could ever wish for. And yet, there was the entire ordeal of what he did or did not do, and what he did or did not deserve as consequences to his or others' actions. Objectively, it would not be difficult for one to be at least somewhat spoiled, being accustomed to such a life, and having it all taken away from him was enough reason for him to try and get it all back, though through means that Luna believed to be entirely wrong. Yes, there were reasons, but not all of them were justified. Luna was familiar with most of his story, yet there were still some fragments missing, fragments that Loki and Loki alone would be able to tell; and even that was but one side. In any case, it was understandable that one would be so very unused to such a life, after the one they previously had. Perhaps, with time, he would grow to mind it less, though there was a problem most horrible with him - he was stubborn, and once he dug his heels in, he would not let go no matter how much one tugged and pulled and yanked. He would be hard pressed to find any sort of peace, if some of his views did not change.

Loki: "Yes, indeed," he agreed lightly with a nod. He did not wish to speak of such matters with the girl, for why should he? It was hardly her matters of concern. At least the mortal girl was honest, knowing that she would not dare even try to understand who he was, or from where he came. No mortal would understand, although they all claimed to possess such an ability of wondrous empathy. They assume him, however, just as any other Aesir might, and that was fine with him, for how could he ever change such a view? How could he ever make them understand that what he did was justified, that it was his only choice...  
He wanted to take over the Earth. He wanted to prove to the Allfather he could be a ruler, he could live up past Thor... He deserved to be a king, and he was wise enough and strong enough to be able to do so. He meant to do it. To be as grand a ruler as the Allfather, himself. His only regret was that he failed and now he was here with some little mortal, telling her about how dreadful his life is, and though it is truth, it is still not something he should like to reveal to any other. So why was he revealing it to her? It began as a way of gaining her pity, but now he did not need that... So why was he continuing? He then pressed his lips together, seeing that her head was still against his shoulder. And why? Because she was crying, because she was upset, and there was some small inch in him that wished to comfort her. Why? Because she was lonely, too.


	14. Chapter 14

Luna: Silence took the both of them once again, as they both seemed to be in a mood rather pensive - which Luna assumed was Loki's natural state - both ridden with thoughts of their own. Perhaps the thoughts were even similar, but she would never know. Neither would he, for that matter. Her mind was slowly beginning to come out of the shock that grasped her and jarred her to tears - at that thought, she nearly pulled away and crawled behind one of the boxes, simply to escape from her previous actions - and now the thoughts came more slowly, but in a number so very high. For a while, a thought entertained her - she was by his side, speaking with him most politely and gently, even seeking comfort from him, even though he was the one to bring her to such a breaking point to begin with - by a very familiar way of threats, intimidation, manipulation and pain.

She truly, genuinely considered the fact that she might just be mad. And yet, in the silence that distanced them, their current state and their contemplation held them where they were. There was small solace in that, if not entirely peace. There was much yet to be done, and so she remained in this moment, for she doubted one much like it would arrive any time soon. As impossibly strange as it was.

Loki: The girl seemed to be calming down, the way her eyes were less distanced, less imbalanced were her words. So his "comfort" had helped, though he wondered why in Yggdrasil would he even be capable of such a thing. He continued glancing down at her, her warm cheek still pressed into his cold shoulder, and he had not grown uncomfortable from the warmth. Her touch did not hurt like the many other touches he had received before arriving to Midgard the first time. "Is all well?" he asked quietly.

Luna: His quiet voice brought her out of her thoughts rather gently, for which she was thankful; she did not like to be startled out of her mind, out of the silence. She gave a small quirk of her eyebrows, as the question took some more thinking to answer. "Relatively..." she said quietly. "More or less.." she added as an afterthought even more quietly. Then, she looked up at him again, her eyes remaining full to the brim with the ghosts of the thoughts that had been traversing her mind before he brought her back. Rather, the thoughts were more questions than anything else, and the rest were her own blind guesses at the answers. Was any of this going to succeed in any way? Would he cast her away the moment he saw it fit, the moment he felt that she was, in fact, much too hefty a burden to drag along? Why did she even accept any offer she was given…? Her lips pressed slightly together as the thoughts still affected her as she gazed at him, for a second distantly, and for another one, quite directly. "And with you?"

Loki: He watched her eyes go once again in the distance and then come back to her as if just remembering that this discussion was happening _now_ , and that she ought to participate and respond outside of the confines of her mind, as well. She was so very... lost. He knew it was his courtesy more than anything that rendered her as such. "That is a silly question," he muttered, knowing that she should very well know his present state of being. Or his present state of being at any time. It was most obvious. What was she even thinking of that would cause her to drift off and then come back again interchangeably?

Luna: "You're the one who asked it in the first place..." she retorted and lowered her head, her cheekbone resting on his shoulder for several moments before she shifted to a position more comfortable. There were bits of daylight coming through the still-open window, and though the light was entering the room during the day, it was still insufficient at times, and a lamp would not go amiss. She reminded herself to call her brother soon and ask him to meet her. It could only be here, as she doubted Loki would allow her to exit anywhere at this point. At that thought, her stomach churned slightly; just as slightly, she grew a little rigid. It was at that point that she realized that _he_ was not as stiff as he had been when she first leaned against his shoulder. Did he get _used_ to it?

Loki: He smirked. "Yes, but I believe I have made my impression quite clear and you seem to be still within some sort of thought process, although you are no longer crying. And yet, you are still upon my shoulder," he looked down to her and then looked back up, towards the dimming light through the window. He wasn't going to push her off, but if she stayed much longer, he would become curious as to why she would want such... silly bits of contact. It was only his shoulder, after all, not any other parts of him. She was rigid, herself, and for some reason, he noticed that he wasn't... and she seemed to take notice of that, as well. He gave an awkward glance in her direction before inadvertently causing himself to be stiff once more, in realization of what was happening.

Luna: This set the questions in motion once again - if he had not pointed out that she was still upon his shoulder, would he still have stiffened much like he did now? Or was it because of her own body's reactions to her thoughts? She exhaled slowly as she scrubbed a hand through her hair and the inside of her wrist against her temple, and she remained where she was. If he wished for her to back away, he would have done something about it by now; he hardly ever waited for her to realize anything before he acted upon his own wishes. "I am, yes. And I suppose I ought to thank you for it," she muttered her manners, and she was rather irked that the damned man actually helped, even though it was utterly and entirely his fault that she came to such a state in which she needed the help to begin with.

Loki: He was hardly ever one to be thanked. At least, of one's own accord, not because it is required of them because it's respectful of them to speak to a Prince in such a way, but because they truly meant it, because they chose to say it... He continued to look down at her, his brows furrowed. "If you so wish it," he replied briefly, looking from her to the ground before them and then her again.

Luna: She was uncertain whether she was in any fit state to have her brother over right at that moment. She felt rather tranquil momentarily, but who knew whether or not she would simply have another… situation… as she has had with Loki a very short while ago? She could absolutely not let Zane be aware of to just which degree Loki was forcing her into this. She thought she would have to show at least some initiative, herself, some own free will, make it appear as best as she could that at least part of the entire ordeal was of her own accord. Otherwise, she doubted Zane would react as agreeably... He may not agree with it either way, but she had to take a chance, as the alternative was much too horrid for her to even consider. Subconsciously, her head weighed down a little bit more upon the man's shoulder; it was as if she were unknowingly seeking support from just about anyone, as if it were not Loki at all.

Loki: He shifted his weight slightly, feeling her head being placed more upon his shoulder, as if just begging to be noticed. Why? She was in thought once more, as he knew she rightfully should be. She had a lot to consider; the fact he was forcing her to run away with him, to learn magic, and to help him in the ways of Midgard, and now she had to tell her brother that she was running away with a man who had killed more than several of her race. Yes, there was quite a bit for her to ponder. He considered how it would have happened if he simply killed her and left right after finding out how to escape the house...

He would be on his own upon Midgard, running and finding ways for himself to survive past the curse that had been placed upon his magic until he found some means of transportation... But why was there such dread at the fact that he was going to be alone? No one but other mortals to speak to, but even then, he would be – even unwittingly – manipulating them. Nothing to make decent conversation with, as he lacked both the partners and the proper physical state… He suspected he would be in too much pain in a separate form so he could walk about with the mortals without being questioned... He would be alone as he always was. As he almost always wished to be. Why should it bother him now?

Luna: Oh, but how irritated she was at the fact that there _actually was_ reason for her _not_ to be irritated with the god. Drawing in a sigh, she finally parted her head from his limb and rubbed her face wearily. Time was a matter so abstract that she could not truly pinpoint when everything would be set in motion, and for that reason, she had to tie off the loose threads while she still had the chance to do so.

She squirmed slightly, making as if she were going to sit up further and, in fact, rise and call her brother over, yet she stopped not even halfway - she knew that this was not something one was ever prepared for, and that if she waited for the time in which she may be readier, she might just let the opportunity pass her by. And yet, she could hardly will herself to get up.

Loki: He looked over to her curiously, a brow raising as she pulled away from him, trying to get herself to stand up. "What is it?" he pressed, wondering if by her calling her brother, she meant to do it that very day... immediately after she had such a breakdown, even. But what was it to him? It was her choice... As long as she was not sounding it as though she planned on going back on the arrangement he had made, as long as he does not tell S.H.I.E.L.D. all about their plan... As long as he lies for her sake. His eyes widened slightly, knowing Luna was putting a bit more trust into her brother than he would like.

Luna: In a way, she was glad that he spoke to her; it gave her an excuse to remain sitting for a while longer - though she wished to postpone phoning Zane, and thus postpone the inescapable pain, a part of her still wanted to get it done while it could be done. If, due to her own irresponsibility and foolishness, she neglected to settle matters down with Zane while she could, she would most likely provoke Loki to the point in which he killed her for certain. "I need to call him, but I... I don't know if I..." she shook her head, the proof that she might not yet be entirely capable of this laying in her chopped up words.

Loki: He frowned, knowing he was right about what lay on her mind. "You do not know if...?" he pressed. If she was so uneasy with speaking to him, how would she be able to put on a facade that she was leaving with him of her own accord, and assure him that all will be well? "Are you sure it is wise? Can this not wait?"

Luna: She turned to face him more directly, her eyes flashing with indecisiveness and discomfort. " _Can_ it wait, Loki?" she asked in return. It had to be done. Perhaps not right this moment, but by the time the day had ended...

Loki: "Can... what wait, specifically? Your speaking to him? If it is so important to you, then should you not do it soon? You simply are... less than stable. Are you sure you are capable of convincing him in such a state of mind? To sufficient a degree that, once we are gone, he does not speak to your organization?” He was wary, and even that was an understatement. He did not like knowing there was a third piece in the game, another mortal to rely upon. But he could either take her kicking and screaming, or he could take her with her peace... No matter how much he enjoyed the former, the latter seemed to appeal to him in much greater levels.

Luna: "He won't tell them. He knows... _me_ , he knows me and if I can just get everything out in such a way that I lead him to comprehend..." she spoke more quietly, convinced that if only she guides him in the proper direction, he will accept it, if not truly understand it. But who was she to speak of understanding, when she, herself, had difficulties grasping certain matters? "I do not know when. It's not like I can divine when I'll be feeling in a state fitter than this."

Loki: He retained his frown, not wishing to threaten her, not wishing to tell her that it better work, that everything that she is about to do will not ruin what he has worked for; and if it doesn't work, then they might as well forget it, and she might as well pay for what she had put him through. But, alas, he knew threatening only got him so far, so he chose to simply mention a lighter version of the threat. "I should hope that he, as you say, comprehends it," he replied stiffly.

Luna: "He will," she said, forcing some determination into her voice, trying to convince the both of them that her attempts will be no less than successful. She didn't need much convincing to understand that there were no other options but to tell Zane - it was the only way, she believed. And if she failed to convince Zane, then the both of them would.. She shook her head and rose to her feet slowly, the top of her head brushing the ceiling. There _were_ consequences just as grave as Zane believing her dead, were she to fail.

Loki: He watched her rise and then did so himself, his eyes narrowing, knowing he would have to be very careful with her telling her brother. If she failed... He dreaded thinking of it. He would not allow her brother to leave until he was certain he was convinced, be it through means of magic or otherwise. Loki would have to try his best. He could not believe he was allowing the girl this option...

Luna: She let the door to the attic drop and unfold the staircase, down which she came with steps quite cautious. She knew that Loki was right behind her, but she pretended as if she did not notice, or, at the very least, as if it did not bother her. She continued down the second staircase and then took the phone; she dialed the number she knew perfectly and a voice she knew just as well answered. She walked slowly around the living room, meandering between the couch and the armchairs, in front of the fireplace, staring at the floor and at her feet as she put one in front of the other and spoke with Zane of him coming over.

No, she could not meet him outside; it might be nice for him to see where she lived now, perhaps it puts him more at ease.  
No, Loki won't be a trouble - yes, certainly. On and on, she assured him for several minutes he agreed to be on his way.

Loki: Loki listened intently to her conversation on the phone, lingering closely about the living room, pretending to look upon books within the bookshelf, but in actuality he was listening to her speech, listening closer for the boy's reply simply to reassure himself that she was not calling for S.H.I.E.L.D, that this was yet another lie. He would be better at seeing through such a lie, he knew, so he had a sliver of trust within the girl considering he had no other choice if he wished to be somewhat... comfortable with her. When she ceased talking upon the Midgardian device called a phone, he sat across from her, looking dimly into the unlit fireplace, his eyes distant and in thought.

Luna: She paced the living room slowly, her eyes touching upon various parts of it, seeing that everything was rather clean, that she had kept it so regardless of the situation; there was nothing for her to do around the apartment to shorten the time before he arrived, and so she continued pacing, this time including the kitchen area, as well, knowing at once what to offer to Zane - not as much to ease him into a good mood, but simply because she knew what he might want upon arrival. Her fingertips brushed along various surfaces as she walked around - the counter top, the wall, the back of the couch, the mantle of the fireplace, the curtains - while she formed her thoughts, so as to deliver them as well as she could.

Loki: He remained silent as the girl seemed to be deep in thought, so he thought it best not to interrupt, as she needed to be calm and collected when speaking to her brother... for both of their sakes. He watched her walk across the room for several minutes, her eyes distanced as she did so. He pressed his lips together, leaning back upon the couch, simply waiting in silence; the only sound were her footsteps and the sound of her fingers being dragged across various pieces of furniture in the room as she thought until what seemed like far too long, there was yet another knock upon the door. He arched a brow and looked pointedly to the door, simply remaining in his spot upon the couch.

Luna: With all the time she spent concentrating on not messing this up, the moment she heard a knock, her heart jumped up to her throat and she she felt she had to focus more upon maintaining her breathing balanced and even, much like the rest of herself.

"Coming," she exclaimed as she strode towards the door. Hesitating for a fraction of a heartbeat, she then opened it, and could not help but give a smile to her brother.  
She threw her arms around him and pulled him into an embrace while propping up on her tiptoes; it felt better than she dared admit, after not having had much of any sort of physical contact in over a week. Zane was, naturally, taller than Luna, having the exact same shade of hair and of eyes - something the both of them inherited from their mother. She pulled away after several long seconds, during which Zane murmured a small greeting before letting her go. He looked somewhat tired - she thought he might have worked the late night shift at the hospital lately, for this was not the first time she has seen such an expression etched into the lines of his face. She closed the door behind him, for a moment forgetting that Loki was present; she couldn't deny that she was happy to see Zane, though she knew in the back of her mind that it was quite possible that it would be the last time she does.

"Sit, sit. I'll go get you something to drink," she said as she gestured to the living room, before dashing over to the kitchen. She knew that the two men didn't need her to introduce them to each other.

Zane complied, his dark eyes inspecting his sister's new home as he took a seat upon one of the armchairs, before finally looking directly at Loki. "Hello," he said. "My name's Zane," he said and leaned forward slightly to extend his hand to the odd looking man seated upon the couch.

Loki: Loki did not turn to greet the new man within the room, a somewhat friendlier face that made it obvious that he was directly related to Luna, the same facial structure, the dark eyes and the dark hair. He pressed his lips together as the brother of the girl walked into the living room area as Luna scurried about fetching a drink. He looked upon the other man's hand as he offered it to him, his expression very stolid as he observed him, the way his eyes were gentle, a sort of boyish face, but at the same ridden with a specific amount of stress from the day. He looked fatigued, as well – darkness circled his eyes and they seemed to sink in slightly more. He did not reach to touch the other man's hand, his focus going from that to his face, to his clothing. "Loki," he replied shortly with a nod.

Luna: "Rude, you," Luna noted aloud as she walked back into the room, handing Loki a bottle of water as she, herself, had one. She turned to Zane. "The coffee will be ready in a few moments."

He did truly look as if he needed it. Luna, herself, seldom drank it, but there was some wherever she lived, lest she had company who did. A brief flashback appeared in her mind when one night, while studying, Zane inadvertently knocked over his cup of coffee, sending the beverage to drench many of his papers. She had a difficult time calming him down after the small incident, as he was frustrated and stressed enough as it was. She gave him a smile as she perched herself upon one of the arms of the couch, on the opposite side of Loki.

Zane gave her a slightly confused look before glancing back at Loki; she spoke to him like that? Was that wise? He was not offended by the man and his refusal - somehow he expected it - his offer was testing, at best.

Loki: He rolled his eyes as he took the bottle of water from Luna, glancing at her before looking back to the new human within the room. He ignored her critique, focusing only upon the issue at hand. The boy was less demeaning than the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, he noted, but, somehow he could tell he was a Midgardian healer, as he supposed all healers went under the same category in the types of being within the universe. A blessing they were, he knew, as their special talent saved his life at least once or twice within his existence, with neutral kindness. Perhaps, knowing that, he would almost guess that this should go over easily, if he ignored the look that her brother often passed his way. It was to be expected.

Luna: Luna noticed the inquisitive look in Zane's eyes as he looked at her, as if checking up if all is well with her; his eyes quickly scanned her, and his features softened as he concluded that all was well with her, physically - save for the signs of fatigue that he took notice of immediately. That made him slightly wary as he took another glance towards the long haired, bitter-looking man. He was nowhere near fond of her decision to step up to meet S.H.I.E.L.D's demands, and he was evidently worried for her well being. It seemed to him, at times, from the weariness of her eyes and the small slouch to her shoulders that was hardly there before, that it might be more stressful than she initially believed. "I can't stay for very long, by the way, I need to get to work. My shift doesn't start until 1 in the morning, but I'm covering another one," he explained.

"Oh, that’s alright, though you look like a herd of elephants stomped all over you…" she pointed out and earned a small laugh from Zane, which, in turn, made her smile.

Loki: Loki sat in silence as he watched the exchange between the siblings, the way she spoke so easily to him, and the way he replied with a laugh and she with a smile. She was quite... lovely when she smiled... Her entire face lighting up, the way her skin wrinkled slightly to accommodate her full smile. He realized he rarely saw such a thing unless she was laughing, but that was so very rare, as well. She was pretty... In her own, human way. He could tell, however, there was a sort of unease between the both of them, a sort of disapproval from him and a blissful ignorance from her. It seemed that Zane was never truly set with ease with Luna's decision to watch him, as he seemed to be slightly more reasonable... It looked as though they were very close, a sort of look that Thor and Baldur seemed to have had... both of them looking like they belonged within the same family. He almost despised it at the very thought.

Luna: "There's not much I can do about it, it's a busy place," he gave a shrug and leaned more into his chair. "Don't forget about the coffee," he reminded her, knowing that she seldom needed such a thing, but there _were_ occasions... He chuckled as a brief look of concern flitted across her features.

"Yes, yes.. Coffee," she rose and strode over to the kitchen, where, just as he had rightly assumed, the coffee was just about done.

"How are you two getting along?" Zane asked Loki while Luna was clattering gently with the dishes in the kitchen.

Loki: Loki arched a brow, wondering why in the nine realms he would ask such a ridiculous question. He held back the temptation to smirk at the man, watching as Luna nervously flitted out of the room before returning his attention to her brother. They might as well be twins. "Well enough," he replied quietly. "She is quite... hospitable."

Luna: "Thank you," Luna said to Loki as she made her way back to the living room, balancing a small plate and a cup of coffee upon it, her steps slow and careful so that she would not spill; she was so very grateful that her hands were not quivering. She set the cup on the coffee table between the couch and the armchair and resumed her place upon the arm of the couch. "As he said, we get along well enough. A bit of bickering here and there, but it's not unexpected," she admitted with a shrug, her mind racing as she forgot nearly everything that she was going to say to Zane; most importantly, she did not know how to start it - whether to spring it upon him now or… It had to be now. She thought she might have even seen an opening here. She waited until he finished with his sip of coffee, in case he spilled it all over himself.

Loki: He could tell by the sudden amount of tenseness she was putting upon herself that she was about to explain why she called her brother here in the first place, the way that she looked at him wearily, her voice hitching up another pitch. He merely nodded in agreement for the fact that she mentioned their bickering... that being an understatement. He would hardly call it bickering rather than him telling her what to do, and her eventually complying. Bickering would mean they both have an equal part within the argument, and that was hardly so. Loki’s lips thinned into a line as he waited for Luna to continue her speech to her brother. He merely wanted this to be out of their way, off of her shoulders so they can begin working on leaving.

Luna: The moment he put his cup down, she spoke. "Zane, I'm leaving," she said, watching him intently as, at first, the look of confusion washed over him.

"Leaving?" he echoed her words, his voice bearing as much of the confusion as his face.

"Yes," she nodded in confirmation. "With Loki," she added the crucial fact, one of her hands gesturing over to the slender, dark haired man observing the exchange. She could almost feel the pressure he put upon her, to make this as flawless as she could, otherwise...

"Wait, what?" Zane said incredulously.

"Zane, listen.." she said as she slipped from the arm of the couch to the seat of it, leaning her elbows upon her knees as she leaned in closer to Zane, attempting to appeal to him and comfort him with her mere presence. "What I am telling you is in absolute confidentiality, meaning that I _need_ you to not say anything to anyone," she continued, and before he could open his mouth to retort, she went on. "Loki needs out, in order to live, and… That is not something that is a possibility if he remains locked up here. I know that it is difficult to grasp, but he should live, I think. Even after what he's done, I..." she looked over to Loki, lingering off for a moment. "We spoke, Zane, he and I, and I have to admit that I doubt that he will try again what he failed to do previously." She knew just how idiotic she sounded, how very naïve…

"Have you taken into consideration that what he said might have been _lies_?" Zane spoke over her, his face darkening, his brow lowering.

"Of course I did, don't think of me as _that_ stupid," she retorted. "Zane, if he wanted to, he could have killed me 30 times over by now, don't you think? Look," she said, her voice growing firmer. "We made plans. I will help him escape, and in return, he will not try to take us over again. For Pete's sake, look at him," she gestured over to him. "He's exhausted, and I don't think he is capable of repeating what he did, not for the second time. He can’t stand being on this planet, I don’t think he will want to remain on it for as long as it would take him to in fact _rule_ it," she said.

Loki: Loki stood by the entirety of the exchange as he listened to Luna speak of him as though he had left the room, though he was listening intently to every word, every reaction the boy was having in exchange to the words that Luna was feeding him. In exchange for him not to take them over again? How ridiculous... But then again, he supposed, it was better than her selfishly exchanging his freedom for him to teach her magic. He looked exhausted? He never realized what he looked like, considering he never truly looked within the mirror recently, but he supposed it was nowhere near attractive or presentable. He did not interfere with their discussion for as long as everything was going smoothly, for as long as Luna was doing her part and he was accepting it. He looked to Zane, bracing for a reaction that would be less than satisfied. He could almost tell, however, when Luna spoke, that she was lying... Of course she wouldn't believe that he should live, that he should get away with this attempt. Why should she? She was close enough to believe, however...

Luna: "You made plans?" Zane repeated, his voice consistently holding that tone of disbelief. Luna told herself that it was most likely just the initial shock, that it will wear off the more she speaks...

"Yes. And, as I said, _I am telling you this_ , which counts for bloody something, hmm?" she said. "Please, let me say what I wish and then.." she shook her head. "We made plans, as I said, and S.H.I.E.L.D. mustn't know," her words were more clumsy than she intended for them to be. "In order to let everything go smoothly, he needs me. He doesn't know his way around, and all I will be doing is putting some distance between him and S.H.I.E.L.D. Once I have done that, I will see you again. As for our plans, and the reason why I had you come here in the first place was... We are to make it seem as if he killed me. Wait, wait," she said when he seemed on the brink of protesting, frowning even more deeply.  
"It is purely for precaution, so that S.H.I.E.L.D. does not realize that I was the one who helped him escape. We'll make it appear as if he escaped on his own, took me down in the process and left. It is for my sake that we are staging it like so - that way, S.H.I.E.L.D. won't be able to send me to jail and Loki will be free to leave the Earth," she explained, and when she was not gesturing with her hands, she was wringing them slightly, praying that he will understand.

"Doesn't that mean that you can't return to S.H.I.E.L.D. afterwards? What about your friends, Luna, are you planning on letting _them_ know?" he asked in the first moment he could grab when she stopped talking.

"It does, yes. And no, I'm not telling them - I'm only telling you. I trust you, Zane, and I am only telling you this because I don't want S.H.I.E.L.D. to come knocking on your damned door and telling you that I'm dead," she said before biting her tongue to prevent the tears that seemed just around the corner, as she felt the familiar stinging in her eyes.  
"That is what will happen to my friends, and even though I wish I could tell them, I can't trust them enough to know that they won't run off to S.H.I.E.L.D. and tell them everything. And I don't want you to think that I am dead, Zane, I cannot let you believe that for even a second, which is why I need you to not tell S.H.I.E.L.D. anything of what I am telling you now. When all is done, I will see you again, but I cannot return here. Not if everyone thinks I'm dead, not if there's a chance that they will put me away when I do."

Loki: Loki looked uneasily to Zane and back to Luna, listening intently to her speech, seeing the many passing emotions over Zane's face and the way Luna was repressing tears by blinking more than necessary. Her words came out fast, desperate, as she tried to assure her brother that everything would go so smoothly, that she would never be caught in the process... He knew there was not much he, himself, could say without receiving a cold look from Zane and quite possibly hateful words - considering he was the one making his sister ruin her life. The look upon Zane's face was enough to almost, _almost_ make him feel as if he was stealing something valuable, that he was wounding him beyond repair because he was stealing his very precious sister. He could almost feel the daggers being shot through his eyes... How caring he was... Loki pressed his lips together, looking at Zane. "I assure you, I shan't let her in harm's way," he added smoothly, adding his input right when her words ended so Zane would not interrupt. "She _shall_ return."

Luna: She gave Loki a grateful look before turning her eyes back to Zane, his expression making it all the more difficult for her to control the tumult that threatened to break its way out. "I am doing no more than just… getting him out without S.H.I.E.L.D. noticing. Zane, please understand why I am telling you all of this - I would much rather let you know everything, no matter what kind of light it puts me in, than let you believe that I'm dead." She could not do that to him. This was necessary.

Zane's mind twisted and turned, much like his stomach, a strong reaction to what he was hearing. Perhaps this was something he should have expected of her, but this time, she had taken it to an altogether new level. "Luna... He is not some pigeon with a broken wing that you can take in, nurse back to health and then let out. He is not yours to take care of," he weighed heavily the syllables of his latter sentence. "I know that you might _want_ to," which was not entirely true, as he had his doubts... Even though he knew her, even though this seemed as if something she might have ultimately done, he was unsure whether the reasons were justifiable enough... Whether the reasons she was doing this for were the reasons she thought they were. "But you'll be setting something massive in motion, even if S.H.I.E.L.D. does believe that you're…that you're dead," the word was bitter on his tongue. "There will still be throngs of them following _him_ , and if you are with him..."

Luna scooted to the very edge of the couch and extended both of her hands to take both of Zane's. "He promises not to let me get hurt, not even by his own doing... I know, Zane, I know how you feel, but he might just die if I don't help him do this. I know that, perhaps, you believe that after what he's done, he deserves such a thing, but... He will leave. He'll leave us, and the Earth, and we won't see him again. And what does he matter if he is not here? If he is not doing anything to the world?" she said, her heart thudding heavily and almost painfully. "I swear that I will return. Nothing will happen to me, and he will personally make sure of that," she said, knowing that that might not be fact, but Loki would play along, for the sake of it all.  
"You cannot tell me it's better to think me dead than to keep this secret?" She looked at Zane, who seemed to be having a tumult of his own, his hands firmly enveloping her own.

Loki: Loki looked to their hands as they were wrapped tightly around each others, swallowing back the thick bits of impatience he had. He wished to end this and end this soon. "It shall be like I never existed," he assured quietly. “S.H.I.E.L.D. shan't find us as long as I wish it. She shall be safe." Even though he was, ultimately, not entirely sure he can even get her through, how the world might be and how his magic would be if he overuses it. "Even if they find me, then she shan't suffer. If this fails, she shall not fail with it," he lied easily.  
He wasn't entirely sure how that might work, either. He was just safe to assume that him in another shape, they might never find him while he is seen within public. He simply despised looking at the both of them, so very close, so very loving of each other. He hated it.

Luna: Whenever Loki spoke, it was as if Zane did not hear him, though he listened to each and every word being spoken. He gazed intensely at her dark eyes, so very much like his own... Was he willing to believe his word, his silent promises of protection? He would believe her, quite readily at that, yet perhaps she was biting off more than she could swallow. If it absolutely had to come to this, she was quite right - he would prefer to know that she was alive, much rather than believing she was taken away from him, as well. He didn't know how he would have reacted and where his reactions would lead him if he was told that she was no longer alive... In this aspect, he was more than glad that she told him, that she thought of him, once again, much like she did time and time again, that she compromised several rather important things in order to make him feel more at ease.

He knew that if he so wished, he would keep her.. their secret. It was something that he was long used to, courtesy of his profession, yet... Why would she be doing this? Could she really want to help a man such as _Loki_? The man who injured more people than he was aware of, and he most evidently did not give a damn about it - about the swarms of people rushing through the hospital doors, countless people he tried to put together over the course of several days, while some, he ultimately failed to...

There must be something that led her to do this, and it might not have entirely been her free will. His lips were pressed tightly together as he bit the inside of his cheek, thinking and thinking and thinking. Loki did not seem to realize just what he was doing to the both of them, to the tiny family that they were. Even if he did, Zane doubted he would be able to grasp such a concept... His mind battled and debated, split in half, both halves screaming at each other. He pulled Luna off of the couch and hugged her. Why would she... He shook his head.  
"Call me when you can..." he murmured and squeezed her tightly.

Loki: He felt himself become quite relieved when the girl's brother pulled her from the couch, pulling her into a tight embrace. He could sense that Zane still did not trust him, for any word Loki said, he would ignore. Rightfully so, as he could not guarantee anything, truly. He could not save her life if S.H.I.E.L.D. does find them, he would have to worry of himself before he could worry for her. But even if S.H.I.E.L.D. does find her, what is the worst they can do? She would still see her brother again, and eventually, she might return to her normal life. It was not as if she were going to face Asgardian punishment.

He looked strained when he embraced her, and Loki noticed how they quite enjoyed touching... something that Luna seemed to be the most hopeful for. It seemed to be the way consolation functioned between them when words no longer played a role. He had nothing to say. Not really. He looked away when they lingered there, simply embracing as siblings should. It was tiring... how confused he was simply watching this mortal pair of siblings converse. He did not know what he wanted to do, what he should say, think, or feel. He simply wished for his freedom, if anything, and if this brother of hers was apart of it, he simply wished to pass by it easily. And so he will.

Luna: The dam that held Luna's tears nearly broke when Zane murmured what seemed to be agreement. Her fingertips dug into his back as she gladly, gratefully returned the hug, savoring it for as long as she could, for she, herself, was unsure when or whether she will see him again. He deserved her honesty, and she would have gladly given it in its entirety to him, but she could not. Not right now. Perhaps when it was all over, she would tell him all that had played out in the peculiar situation. Her heart was beating fast and she held onto him for several moments longer, all the while murmuring thank yous.

She wished badly for him to stay true to his words and his unsaid promises, because far too much depended on it than he knew - her safety, as well. Despite Loki's act and how believable it sounded, it was still no more than an act. She knew that he would be among the first ones to hurt her if any part of their plan went askew, especially if the fault was hers. Before she pulled away, she inconspicuously wiped her eyes before the tears brimmed over. "Don't tell," she said, giving him a faint, sad smile. When they were children and Zane would know Luna had done something that their parents ought to know about, she would ask him not to tell, and most often, he wouldn't.

He gave a brief smile in return, followed by a nod. "I promise," he said.

Loki: Loki continued looking elsewhere during the rest of the exchange, feeling uncomfortable as ever considering the deal was finished for now. He was relieved the boy had some sense so as to protecting his sister, and along the way, protecting his escape plan. This now will fall together evenly, knowing that she was comfortable in knowing she had someone to return to and someone who knew that she was with him. The moment that S.H.I.E.L.D. comes to find them, he will instantly regret his moment of passiveness upon the situation, blaming it upon the mortal who he could not easily trust. He could not believe he was even allowing a few of her tears to effect him in such a way that he would allow any of this to continue, but it was far too late now. He would lose her trust if he snapped now. He clenched his fists and continued to press his lips together, restraining himself from acting any further upon what might just be a complete mistake.


	15. Chapter 15

Luna: Not a full day passed since Zane came and gone, and Luna found herself alone with Loki once again. And once again, the seat in front of the lit fireplace, in which the smaller fire crackled rather mildly, was occupied. Luna sat facing Loki, though on a considerable distance from him, keeping in mind his explicit desire for her not to touch him - though it did not seem to have been a problem the last time, when it appeared to Luna that he, in fact, did not remain frozen stiff underneath her touch after some time. It led her to believe that, perhaps, all he needs is a little bit of time and patience to get accustomed to such a thing.

Nevertheless, she kept her distance presently, as she observed the man honing the magic he possessed. She watched him closely, every minuscule quirk of his features, every small twitch between his eyebrows, leading to the briefest of frowns, and the bare curve of his lips downwards as he attempted to tolerate the pain that inevitably affected him whenever he practiced. Her own face was slightly contorted in an expression of worry, yet in that of curiosity, as well, as there were few things she enjoyed more than watching magic and its workings.

Loki: He could feel the pain beginning to invade him as he drew more and more magic into himself, trying to find the maximum amount so maybe, just maybe, he would be able to change his form in time for him to simply morph into someone else when he leaves. He would also have to sustain such a facade, so he knew it was better for him to practice now, rather than simply hope that he would succeed later on.

His brows furrowed and twitched with constant grimaces as he tried to focus intensely upon changing his form, molding into something else, intending on starting from his hair and then his facial features, but every time he would draw the magic to him, a brief pang of pain would sweep over him, causing him to grimace and grasp his middle before attempting again. It was as if he was angrily shooting at a moving, impossible target. When he thought he was close, the target would simply bend out of the way. He tried again not but five minutes later, attempting to strengthen his tolerance, but the only thing it seemed to do was cause him a pain that nearly left him breathless. He let out a low groan as he suddenly let go of all of the magic, letting it dissipate into the air as he leaned back onto the couch, slouching over his middle.

Luna: She watched as the pain grew stronger and stronger, or, rather, it merely manifested upon his slim frame more so than before. The moment he let out the strained sound, she came closer to him with no hesitation whatsoever - the only thing on her mind being his constantly increasing pain. Seeing him in such discomfort, a man in pain became all she saw in front of her, and no more - there were no thoughts in her mind whether he deserved the pain or not, or whether he deserved to be helped or not; who he was, what he's done, all of that flew right out the window. She placed one of her hands upon his hunched back, and the other one hovered helplessly around his abdomen and his arm which was wrapped around it. In the back of her mind, she knew that there was not very much that she could do to relieve him of his pain, and so, she merely kept her hand on his back. "Easy.." she murmured quietly.

Loki: In the back of his mind, he registered the lightest of sensations upon his back. He only responded to it with a hiss, but he was incapable of doing much else to relieve himself of the unwelcomed touch of her hand. His mind was occupied with the thoughts that he would most likely be incapable of reaching magic for the rest of the night and that, above all, only frustrated him more, thus increasing the pain. He grit his teeth together as the muscles of his abdomen felt to rip by the seams. It was too much, he repeated in his mind, knowing that he should not let frustration take over his need to become more powerful. His low moans continued as more waves of pain swept over him, lessening with intensity, but leaving him equally disabled to overcome it.

Luna: She could not tell through all of his moans and his groans and his frowns if any were spared for her touch, but she did not retract her hand, regardless. Instead, she let it glide down his back and back up very slowly, her touch feather-light, as she hoped that it would only serve to bring him some soothing, though knowing it very well may do the opposite. Her gentle motions did not cease, however - they were guided by the thought that it might only be a matter of time before he grows accustomed to it yet again and before it ceases bothering him as much as it initially did.  
The magic seemed to be more in control of him than he was of it, and she could not help but wonder if he will be capable of doing that which he intended – they did not have very much time, not if they wished to be as secure about their plan as possible. If this pain was not managed and put under control…  
She murmured words of comfort.

Loki: As the waves continued to become more sporadic,so did her hand upon his back, continuing to move in what she may believe was comfort. He stiffened slightly, knowing that he could not move away from it without straightening his back, which was the last thing he wanted to do. The warmth of her hand was obvious through his thin shirt, touching upon his chilled skin. He squirmed slightly, the warmth, along with the pain, being the most uncomfortable now, but gave up when he figured it was not doing any good unless he voiced his complaint.

"Luna..." he muttered, lowering his head to his hands as the ache only continued. He did not want to move any more, so he remained there, only hoping she would get the hint eventually.

Luna: When she heard him utter her name, her hand slowed in its motions until it came to a full stop. However, it did not move away for several seconds more, as she was unsure whether or not she should continue; this seemed more his stubbornness than anything else, she thought, and if he simply let her linger for a while longer, then maybe he would get used to it, much like he did. He brought it upon himself by reacting in such a way that showed her that he was absolutely capable of withstanding physical contact, given time - he all but seemed to forget about it, the previous time. However, her hand went back to rest upon her lap as she sat by his side, her eyes still inspecting him and taking notice of everything his body was presently enduring.

"I'm sorry, but you're in pain, and.. That is not good," she said simply. She wanted to help with the pain, firstly because it would make him less irritable and disagreeable, thus easier to coexist with. But also, there was a fragment within her that simply did not like seeing anyone, including him, in such pain.

Loki: He huffed stiffly, knowing that this was an obvious fact. The girl was ridiculous. Of course he was in pain. He brought it upon himself, and if anything, she should believe he very well deserved it, so why should she care in the slightest?  
"And... what should you like me… to do about it..?" he asked through gritted teeth, looking at her through the corners of his narrowed eyes. "I cannot... stop..." he muttered, panting once again. The pain was slowly going away, simply leaving his muscles worn and his abdomen with a dull ache in memory of what had occurred. It felt like Mjolnir had grown spikes and nearly went through the entirety of his gut.

Luna: She shook her head, the lines of her face softening. "I know there is very little that either of us could do, but I wish there was," she stated, looking away from him and down to her own hands. The words felt odd on her tongue, something that would not have been so if it were any other person in question. "Please rest for a little while. I know that time is not something which we have plenty of, but it won't end well if you're, well, like this," she gestured towards his increasingly curled up form. She doubted that the painkillers which she and the rest of her kind used would be of any help to him, and what else she could think of was not very likely to succeed, either. What she thought might be of use would be if he warmed his abdominal area, simply to let the muscles unwind, but from what she's gathered, he was not too keen on warmth. Suggestions ran through her mind, each more likely to fail than the previous.

Loki: He eyed her once more after a long time. If he could not complete his own task in time, then she would be more likely to escape him, to leave and have him brought back to Asgard like the original plan. Why should she care? He kept asking himself constantly. "So... I shall..." he mumbled, trying to relax his body, letting the muscles loosen. He tried to move away to sit along the back of the couch once more, but the stretching was not helping in the least bit, so he recoiled slightly, regaining his previous position.

Luna: She reached out and took the water that was on the coffee table, and extended it towards him, hoping that the pain didn't weaken him to the point where he couldn't hold something that should be quite light. He certainly seemed as if he could not move very much, if his occasional twitches were any indicator. She saw the questions in his eyes when he looked at her, surrounding the general resentment that he held for her at what seemed to be all times. She recoiled, herself, wondering if his thoughts were along the lines of her own. As she could not answer very many of the questions that were in her mind, she stood firmly for the belief that the only reason she was even willing to remove his pain was because it was something embedded in her - pain was not something she could bear watching without at least wanting to help. He was no exception.

Loki: He very carefully reached out to accept what was being offered to him. Slowly, he attempted to straighten out his back in order to drink it, not knowing whether it would soothe him or not. He swallowed a mouthful before shakily moving back to set the bottle onto the ground, attempting to recover from that bit of movement, his eyes never leaving her, as she seemed to be full of questions, as well. He sighed heavily, uncaring for her questions caring even less for their answers. He only wanted this pain to subside so he may continue to work upon regaining his magic as fast as he possibly can.

Luna: While he practiced, he allowed her to feel the magic that he was holding and working to his favor, and while obtaining concentration depended on the given moment, she was glad to notice that it took her a shorter period of time to sense the magic now - however, she could only do so when being directly given it.

Try as she might, she could not come to feel it on her own, though she beckoned and she yearned and she called and desired... It did not come. Her eyes settled upon him again watchfully, and a question that had appeared in her mind at least once a day came again - why did he shy away from contact so much? Half the time, it seemed like pure hardheadedness, yet there was something deeply instinctual that made him react before his conscious mind had a say in it. Perhaps, should she get him to grow more accustomed to her might the two of them be able to stand each other better. All for the sake of making this entire ordeal as comfortable as possible for the both of them.

Loki: He sighed before attempting to settle back into the couch, to make himself more comfortable rather than leaning forward, one of his arms raising to comb his hair back from his face - it was awfully long, he noted - and massage his temples with his long, pale fingers. His eyes found her once more, when he was done in only partly successful attempts at further relaxation; her brow and her eyes were ridden.

"What is it?" he asked, disregarding the fact she did not like when he tried to pull answers from her, but at that very moment, he could care only very little.

Luna: Her brows furrowed for a moment while she tried to formulate the answer. She could not plainly tell him that his behavior when it came to her proximity was alarming; there was much about him that was alarming, granted, but most of those things were of his own accord and conscious decision more so than of his reflexes. She was unsure, herself, why she should even try and correct that in any way - it wasn't as if any of it would matter, neither in the short nor in the long run. It was simply unsettling to her that one reacted in such a way, as if he endured who knows what that forced him to it, and that was... Not right, it was just not right, she thought to herself.

"Wondering about you getting better," she said, though the statement was twofold.

Loki: Her expression spoke of much more, but he didn't have a care to continue and press for a more honest answer, as he knew it would have something more to do with him and his behavior towards her. He gave a noncommittal "hmm" and resigned, shutting his eyes tightly as he looked upon the ceiling. "I am fine," he mumbled. "I have suffered much worse before," he replied somewhat coldly. Yes, he had suffered more pain before all of this, but none of it had to do with something that was supposed to be innately part of his existence. It was frustrating to the core. He should be able to perform his magic without doubling over in pain.  
Luna: "Is that why you don't like it when I touch you?" she asked gingerly, looking at him, still. It was a very straightforward question, she thought, but why would he bring up the topic in the first place, if he so hated speaking of it? It was as if he was merely trying to lure some pity out of her, indicate the torments he's endured, but refuse to speak any further of it. Was it some sort of a poor ruse to get her attention in some rather strange way?

Loki: He stiffened slightly, wondering if it should be that obvious. And so what if it was? He did not like to remember such events... such events that had led him away from the touch of any other being, including women. "Yes," he replied dimly before attempting to distract himself away from what he was feeling by the simple movements of his hands.

Luna: So it had been more of a learned reflex... Her eyes alternated between looking down and looking at him, though the consistent thing in them being the tinge of sadness. Whoever had accomplished that managed to break something in him, through means so despicable that she did not even wish to imagine... It was sad, truly, she thought, that one should have something that can be quite precious and enjoyable - such as the touch of another - torn so forcefully out of them. She was unsure if she was so ready to believe that it had been his own reckless, cruel doing that led him to such an experience; no, he would be smarter than to act in a certain way, knowing what awaited as a possible consequence - he would not bring that upon himself.

"I'm not going to hurt you..." she said softly, though she remained in place. Her mind's occasional graphic details of what he might have endured jarred her enough to understand that she should be patient, and lose the pushiness.

Loki: He nodded, knowing that that was a fact, but it often did not matter when it came to what it felt like for her to be touching him. It was almost as if everything upon his skin was rejecting hers, minuscule fibers pushing it away.  
"I know... It does not matter," he replied quietly, shaking his head, as he looked through narrow eyes back at her. She looked as though she were disgusted, perhaps slightly frightened... and maybe even pity? He narrowed his eyes further. Of course she would show pity for him now, of all times... It took him enduring a grave pain to coax it out of her. He could not repress a slight rolling of his eyes as he thought of it.  
"It... is only what happened... I... It..." he shook his head, unable to finish as he could not think of any words to give her.

Luna: She shook her head slightly. "There is no need for you to talk," she said. A part of her wanted to show him that it _did_ matter, for the proof lay in the previous day, and the other part of her spoke against it, thinking that it might be better if she did not trigger him into reliving such moments, knowing that it would not be something _she_ would want. Then again, _she_ would want to push away that fear as it would get on her nerves so... However, nobody said there were similarities between her and Loki; what worked for one might not work for the other, naturally. She was unsure of how to handle this - most of the troubles people had that she had encountered could have been soothed at least temporarily by a warm embrace or a rub on the back or a tender grasp of the hand... But what was she to do if those were precisely the things she was not supposed to do? She frowned slightly - why should she have to do _anything_? It wasn't her business, she reminded herself as she retreated further away.

Loki: He sensed her back away and eased slightly, wishing that she did not touch him for the rest of the time he was trying to recover. He did not talk, as words were becoming rather useless to him for once. So many thoughts at once, the fact that it ached when he sucked in too much air... it all did not help in his attempt to assure her that he is fine, that he had lived for a millennium longer than she had. He pressed his lips together as he tried to rest slightly, knowing the girl may have many questions, but there was very little he wished to answer or prove.

* * * 

When the pain somewhat subsided, he eventually sat up straight, deciding that since it was minimal now, he should try again. It would not do to rest, no matter what the girl said... He needed to build a tolerance, and the only way to do such a thing was to continue until he developed some sort of callous towards the pain, towards the soft spot that he had with the curse.

He closed his eyes, breathed in heavily and then exhaled slowly as he placed his hands in front of himself once again. He tried to regain all of the magic he had dispersed, ignoring the terror that inched its way back to him. He had to at least hold it for a while and eventually, when he felt he was ready, mold it to do his bidding. He waited, letting it fester around his hand, letting it ebb and flow around his fingers, letting the feeling of fullness complete him, though at the same time, the pain was making him slowly slump into the couch regardless of whether he wanted to or not. It continued to do so, pushing like an unbreakable force through his abdomen, as if he was being pummeled with the heaviest object possible. He let out a muffled groan as he bit his lip, molding the magic into something more substantial, but at the same time, leaning back into the couch, his hands still splayed in front of him.

Luna: She noticed him shifting his body from the corners of her eyes, and a groan he let out drew her eyes directly back to him. Her brow creased in concern as he stubbornly tried again, and again, even though the pain was more than evident, in the way it forced him against the couch, the way it bent his body to its will, much like he tried to bend the magic to his own. She watched, fidgeting with her fingers in order to stop her hands from shooting out towards him. "Loki, I'm not so sure that that's wise.." she said quietly, not wishing to startle him, but rather make him cease before the pain hit him much too hard.

Loki: He ignored her, exerting himself and trying even harder. He would overcome the obstacle like he always could. He would not subject himself to the power of the Allfather, the torture he so very often brings to him. The anger that thought sparked in him made him further try, the magic slowly molding into something that could be used towards his changing form, but the moment he tried to bring the magic upon himself, once more, to change his form, the same stabbing pain made him curse loudly, and ever so reluctantly did he let go of the tendrils about him, letting it disperse quickly into the air. Gravely disappointed and angered, his hands curled into fists and slammed against the couch as the pain, once more, overtook him in a way that made him entirely incapable of movement, as each wave hit him like punches being swung in one spot upon his body.

Luna: Startled by the sudden loudness, she jumped slightly, her lips pressing tightly together as she gazed upon him, rigidly curved upon the couch and attempting to cope. He should not have done that, she thought as she hastily scooted closer to him; he might not appreciate her proximity, but she was not about to sit still when she knew that she could help, if given the chance. There was hardly any reluctance in her motions, for the only thing on her mind that dwarfed all rest was to make the pain subside. She placed one hand upon his back, gentle, but firm, not about to move, and the other one upon his abdomen, the part of it which was not enveloped by his arm. She could feel his heartbeat thudding rather quickly as it attempted to manage the pain, as well; she found that her own heart began to mirror his, as she was almost frantic in wanting to pain to cease.

"Please, breathe.." she murmured, willing calmness into her voice, knowing that it would help neither of them if she was rushing or pressuring in any way. "Easy…" she kept her voice barely above a whisper, praying that he would not shove her away as she traced his back soothingly, warmly.

Loki: He could dimly feel a warm hand pressed along his back, moving along it in a more pressured way, and another hand pressed along his abdomen. He tried to do as the soft voice wished for him to, which was to breathe, though it only came in gasps. It was reminiscent to what Frigga would often do whenever he was frightened or upset as a boy, rub his back and give warm, soothing words as she would sit with him all night until everything was alright again.  
He knew he did not want her to touch him, he gave the girl perfectly good reasons why he didn't want her to, but she did so anyway, against his wishes. His breathing, in return, did not calm, as his mind, against his wishes, associated her hand with the pain. A pale, gray, but strong hand that often brought about pain; menacing, unrelenting pain throughout his entire body, making it contort in unnatural ways.

He muttered a few more curses in another tongue, knowing his arms were useless to him now, but she continued to rub along his back, delivering an attempted comfort... Like Frigga once did...

Luna: She felt him jerk beneath her touch, but if it was due to the pain or due to her, she could not discern, though she thought it safe to assume that it was both. Nevertheless, her one hand traveled up and down his long, rigidly curved back as she attempted to extract the discomfort out of it; at the same time, her other hand slipped carefully between his arm and his abdomen, resting in one spot which seemed to be the epicenter of it all, and she brushed her fingers softly against it, spreading what she hoped was comfortable warmth. She could feel his stomach rise and fall unevenly and raggedly as his breathing came much the same, leading her to continue her whispers. "Breathe, Loki… Slowly, dear, slowly..." she said, sitting by his side while her hands worked untiringly at ridding him of at least part of the affliction that made him respond as such.

Loki: He tried to do as she said, trying to take in even breaths and at least regulate that part of it before anything else. His hands clenched as he felt the warmth of her hands on both sides of him, almost relaxing his cold skin. He repeatedly tried to tell himself that it was not she who was delivering the pain, but it was what he had done. She was not torturing him, not deliberately touching him to harm him, and not wishing to cause him discomfort. She was not the Chitauri. She was not binding him against his will. She was a mere mortal, incapable of causing him any sort of pain. She was trying to be gentle and kind, and trying to calm him, and it was almost as if Frigga was there next to him, calling him "dear" or any other gentle names. As his mind calculated this, he eased only minimally, as the pain was still the primary cause of his discomfort. He only moaned when the waves hit him, passing with violent certainty throughout his body, but his breathing at the same time was easing, making his mind think more clearly.

Luna: She attempted to ease herself, as well, to disguise the worry, because it made her act in ways which she didn't think were conducive for either of them. Perhaps, if she were more relaxed, more certain and more tranquil with her movements, her touches and her voice, he might adopt the same. She did not try to move him in any which way, however, for she knew that if he could, he most likely would have; she merely sat and resumed.

"It's alright... It'll go away and you will rest for a while..." she spoke as the hand of hers on his stomach moved ever so gently, left and right along the cold fabric atop even colder skin. "Just do breathe, please, slowly, calmly.. Like this, see?" she gently took one of his pale hands and pressed it against her own stomach, ensuring that he could feel her own breathing, in and out at a balanced pace, falling and dropping rhythmically. "You're alright.."

Loki: He felt his hand being moved to a warm surface as the girl continued to speak, and he moved his head enough to try and see. His eyes widened slightly as he slowly comprehended that he was touching the warm, smooth fabric of her blouse along her stomach, feeling as it moved up and down. She was so very warm. It was almost uncomfortable, as his cold hand was incapable of warming to it, but it almost felt that it might just warm with how long it remained there. In the thought of it, he did breathe.  
He frowned and moved his hand away from her grasp ever so slowly, and away from her warmth, uncertain with why he should enjoy such a thing. He didn't want it. As the pain decreased, he could feel her hands on both sides of him more acutely and when he was certain he could manage on his own, he squirmed, still very careful, but moved slightly away from her grasp.

Luna: She did not stop him from retracting his hand, as it seemed that his breathing was increasingly regulating. She watched as he became further aware of the things that did not involve solely his pain. She swallowed slightly, hoping that he would not react too harshly, now that he saw better what was happening. He seemed intent, still, on putting some distance between the two of them, but she was just as intent on showing him that he might, in fact, get used to her, if he tried. Alas, getting him to try was an altogether different matter.

"I don't think it's clever of you to be moving right now," she said, trying not to make it sound as if it held some sort of a negative connotation. He did not stop the previous time when she advised and it led him to where he was now, so perhaps, it might bode better for him to simply remain where he was. "All is well, Loki, do calm down," she said.

It was a wholly different experience, this, but it felt so very natural to her to comfort other beings that she managed to neglect the fact of who she was trying to comfort. Did it matter, ultimately? It was different, yes, for he was like a timid animal who shied away, who simply needed to grow accustomed... Strange, she thought, she would never have connected timidity with Loki.

Loki: It was embarrassing, really. A mortal girl trying to comfort him in his weakest state. If any other being saw them like this, he would have to murder them simply because it was almost degrading. He didn't even want _her_ seeing him like this. So why didn't he stop when he knew he would only react the same way, putting her into a position where she would continue to try and comfort him physically? He didn't like the question, knowing he couldn't answer it. He grumbled with slight frustration, fidgeting with her unrelenting hands.

Luna: There was a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach, a reminder that she was doing that which he mostly disliked and did not want, but she was stubborn at the present moment, knowing there was a point she could prove, given time. She inadvertently proved it previously, so why not once again? She looked at him with a determined, yet also somewhat of a pleading look in her eyes as one of her hands reached his shoulders, traveled down his prominent spine and back up, curving left and right, to each of the shoulder blades. His shirt, she noticed, oscillated between the warmth of her skin on one side, and the coldness of his skin on the other, one constantly trying to permeate the other. "Is it going away, the pain?" she asked gently, brushing her fingers along the spots.

Loki: Her hands continued to move about him as she gave him an odd look, as if she was going to force him into being touched even if he dared to move away from her. He nodded.  
"Yes," he replied simply, though his voice was dry and pathetic. He continued to be entirely embarrassed as his body fought off the urge to slap her hand away and stop her entirely. It was just the pathetic touch of a mortal... it was nothing he should respond to. He bit his lip as he restrained the fighting urges within him.

Luna: "Good... Good," she said with a slightly absentminded nod. At one point, once his breathing was more stable than not, she removed her hand from his front, smoothing the shirt that creased under all of the touches it endured. Several moments later, she mimicked the movements on his back and finally retracted her hands from him, though she did not move otherwise. "There.." she murmured as much to herself as to him, placing her hands in her lap. The temperature of them changed when she was rubbing his back, but they never got cold, only slightly less warmer than usual, as his cold attempted to envelop her, as well.

Loki: He eased even more so when her hands were removed, completely removing himself from warmth as she sat once again separately from him, though he was not entirely separated from awkwardness. His back was still slightly slumped over, feeling impeccably awkward as he tried to compose himself. He straightened it, stiffening slightly as he knew he just revealed his weak self to her. His hands furled and unfurled, slightly angered by this, but then again, what else could he have done?

Luna: She leaned back against the couch with a sigh, a slight frown upon her face. She could not decide whether this was progress or not. He seemed very irritated, still, but it was not as if she expected to improve his mood, just his physical state. And that happened, in a way, so perhaps she ought to be pleased. He did not push her away, he did not pull away, but that was only while he was quite literally incapable of doing such a thing - the moment he was able, he began to shift away. Another sigh left her and her brows drew closer together. She looked over at him, having half a mind of apologizing, but she helped in a way, and she would not apologize for that.

Loki: He frowned slightly as he tried to decipher what he wanted from what had happened. He shifted ever so slightly, so as to not move further away from her. He gave her an odd look, as well. "Why?" he asked quietly. "Why should you care?" he pressed, invariably wishing for the answer. Why would she even bother if before, she was not reluctant to cause him pain if she was able to.

Luna: She expected the question, though even so, it did not make the answer any easier to come by. She crossed her legs beneath herself and placed her hands on them as she thought.

"I do not like to see anyone in pain," she said slowly. "That includes you, as well." Her voice grew more musing as she contemplated how to explain it to him so that he might even begin to comprehend. "When I see someone, something, in pain, I try to relieve it, be it an animal, a friend, a person who fell on the street, or you. It is much the same to me, in a way..." she said, her brows drawing closer. "Similar enough to make me act in a particular way to whomever needs it at the given moment." She fell silent for a while, looking up at him.

"In that moment... While remaining Loki, you.. you were, at the same time, a creature who hurt, and hurt badly, at that. I did not want you to hurt. There _are_ indisputable reasons why I should not care, but there are also reasons as to why I should, and in such situations, I follow the latter. All in all, I would not sit and watch you struggle and not try to do something about it, if I can. Regardless." She concluded rather clumsily.

Loki: He raised his brows slightly, unsure of what to say, but the fact that she would even make an exception was surprising to him. He was unsure of what else to say or what else to do but stare at her. If it were anyone else, besides perhaps Frigga, he would have been left to manage the pain by himself. It was not new, but the lack of care would always strike a certain amount of disdain in him. But to know this mortal wouldn't make an exception in her caring because of him, both surprised and irked him. He nodded reluctantly. "I see," he replied quietly, and then pressed his lips together. What else could he say?

Luna: "Pain is pain, no matter who is in it, as I've shown you..." she said with a small shrug. "Besides, based on what you've said, you've gone through enough pain to last you for a while, I'm unsure if you need any more," she mumbled, her eyes slightly nervously flitting from one object to another, willing herself to ask a question, though unsure if she should.

"I did not do the opposite of helping, did I?" she asked uncertainly. She was almost as confused as him as to why there was even a want in her to aid him. What she said was true, but she's proven to the both of them today that she did not pick or choose to whom she would be helpful.

Loki: He considered her question for a moment, continuing to look into the fire that was lit wearily, his lips pressed tightly together. Did she help?

Yes... yes, she did. Though he did not want to be touched, he found the strangest bit of comfort in her warmth, as if it was her warmth and only her warmth that seemed to do away with the coldness of his skin, though, ultimately, it was not helping in the slightest - considering it impossible for him to not be as frigid as he is. "No," he muttered reluctantly.

Luna: She let out a small breath, and the tiniest of relieved smiles curled the corners of her lips. "I'm glad to hear that," she nodded, grateful for the answer. Should such complications arise again, to such a degree, she would not hesitate to repeat what she has already done. Not if it helped. It made her content to know that it, in fact, did, and that she was not wrong to act in the way that she did. "As you, yourself, said, I truly do not wish to be your enemy; this all would go so much more smoothly..." she shook her head. It would be worth getting on better terms with him, if only for the sake of making this situation of theirs more comfortable and more bearable.

Loki: One of his eyebrows rose, surprised that she would acquiesce in such a manner to the comfort he asked of her. "Yes, indeed," he replied quietly, taking in her expression curiously. He was slightly pleased that she would agree to at the very least make an attempt to be somewhat bearable with him. How kindly she was... After all the trouble he has forced her through... But then again, of course, this, too, was forced of her. She, a caring mortal, had to sit by and watch him strangle magic out of himself, what else could she do but automatically help, regardless of what he had done to her?

Luna: She was quite pleased with herself, she could not deny. There still lingered a small smile upon her lips; the road to the point where the two of them would get along without much trouble seemed to be shortened by a certain amount by the passing of what happened. She'd continue to pace the road until that point, but it would not do any good if he did not do the very same - if he kept his distance away from the point, then her own position would be absolutely irrelevant. And it pleased her even more, the fact that she clearly saw him take several steps towards the point, now. Perhaps they even reach it some day.

Loki: He looked over to her, seeing that there was what looked to be a content smile upon her face. So, she had it her way for once. She touched him, but only because he was incapable of slapping her away from it. She, for once, had more power over him simply because he was weak. She probably did not want to feel as though they were opposites, and she was incomparable in strength, but he knew the moment he would have his power regained or when his strength returned to him, any such relationship they shared would be diminished instantly.


	16. Chapter 16

Luna: "I suggest that you don't try anything similar for a while more," Luna said, though the entire ordeal was more than strange to her. If anything, she should be glad… If his attempts did not work, it would give her an opportunity to escape from that which he forced her into. There was, however, still a chance that if things were not favorable to him, he might go back on his deal and harm her either way, purely out of the frustration... She looked at him, her stomach twisting slightly at the thought. She rubbed her face slightly before running her hand through her hair, growing quite confused.

Loki: He arched his brow, curious as to why she cared. If he was unable to do anything more, he would not be able to escape or change anytime soon. What if they go through all of the preparation only to find that he could only hold his form for a small amount of time? Then what purpose would it hold if any other mortal saw him?  
"But I must... soon..." he muttered, growing with unease.

Luna: "I know, but... You can hardly move in such a state, let alone run," she pointed out, though she was quite sure that he knew. Perhaps they would avoid other people altogether, and so, he would not have to keep the facade up for longer than necessary. She found her mind starting more and more often to drift away, towards finding solutions to both miniature and large problems that presented themselves to the two of them. It was perplexing, and it drew a frown on her features. Why?

Loki: He huffed heavily, leaning back into the couch as he ran a hand through his long hair, knowing that it was in almost a complete disarray. He hated it. He probably looked like an animal or some filthy being... His hands then rested at his sides, pulled into tight fists. Oh, how agitating his mind could be. "I cannot sit here in idleness..." he muttered, knowing his thoughts alone would drive him further into madness.

Luna: She nodded slightly. "I know.. And you won't. But a little more moderation would not go amiss." Her eyes traversed his black hair and the contrast it made with his pale fingers as they raked through it; then, they dropped lower to his abdomen, wondering if it was in a state any better than before, and then she caught sight of his curled fist, something that he did quite often, now that she thought about it.  
"Loki?" she began before she extended her hand towards his, placing a single touch of her fingertips to the back of his fist. "Relax...?"

Loki: Loki watched as she placed her warm fingertips onto one of his hands, his brows stubbornly maintaining a confused frown, but he continued to keep his hands curled into fists, his fingernails digging into his skin as he fought back the urge to slap her hand away once again. He could not relax, no matter what he did. He needed a distraction apart from the girl, and magic has always been such a thing to him. And now…

Luna: She retracted after less than several seconds, not wanting to push her luck more than she had done so far. At this point, the chances of it backfiring were higher than before, and so, she pulled away. "Why won't you relax?" she asked, knowing that it was mostly his stubbornness pushing him in such a direction. There were many things to stress about, when one looked at the bigger picture, but he (she, too, now that she thought about it) could take this particular moment to unwind, even if for several seconds.

Loki: "I cannot," he replied simply, "it is not so simple..." He huffed heavily, grateful she pushed away for once, knowing he did not want that. "There is too much to consider..."

Luna: "It might not be simple, but it's far from impossible," she shrugged, meeting his gaze. "There is, yes, I agree... But we can do that in several minutes, or in half an hour, or in an hour. But momentarily, you _can_ spare at least a little bit of time. Relaxing isn't as likely to kill you as you stressing yourself to such a point is."

Loki: He shook his head wearily. "I cannot," he repeated, knowing that simply stating to himself to relax would never help him. "I cannot stop _thinking_ ," he added quietly. "It can never be that simple, nor can it be possible at this moment."

Luna: "I'm familiar with that…" she admitted, her voice lowering, much like his. Granted, she didn't think she could compare her thoughts to his, but why should it be compared? Her troubles, his troubles.. Troubles all the same, as they made them both feel in a particular way that they wanted to get rid of it. As long as it bothered her, it was real enough for her... "But, perhaps, we can alter that which you think of, hmm?" she suggested. "At least for a while. Granted, you might not go much too far away from those matters, but anything will do at this point, no?"

Loki: "You might try," he replied quietly, shrugging, knowing ultimately that his mind would often wander back to that which was bothering him. "How do you suppose you can do that, hmm?" he pressed, his eyes narrowing.

Luna: The answer to the question should have been simpler. Yet, she could finds ways upon ways which would inevitably lead back to a topic more stressful for the both of them, no matter what she thought of. All roads led to irritation, she thought. Such a touchy man, he was.

Loki: He waited for an answer, and when she didn't reply, he smirked. "You see? There is nothing," he replied quietly. "There never was anything," he added with a soft sigh as he leaned back into his chair once more.

Luna: She looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes. "You try. You should know better what you would feel alright talking about than I would. I'd rather not guess so blindly," she said, crossing her arms on her chest.

Loki: "What could there possibly be to discuss?" he asked, mumbling. "We come from very different worlds, you and I. There is hardly common ground here," he scoffed with a shake of his head.

Luna: This was true, to an extent; he could not speak to her of Asgard or of any other realms he visited, and as he so plainly despised Midgard, it left very little to talk about, when it came to the realms, themselves. "What do people on Asgard do in their daily lives? What entertains someone for such a long-- never mind, anything can entertain. But what does the Asgardians?"

Loki: He furrowed his brow, knowing that, of course, it would come down to her asking questions and him answering to satiate her inevitable curiosity. "Just as what you or any other being might do. They do not meander about uselessly for thousands of years... they have occupations, families, children, such as you. They entertain themselves as they see fit through various means. Warriors tend to spar, those who have interest in the arts occupy their time with other means, as theater or books. However, the arts are less prevalent on Asgard."

Luna: She settled down onto the couch more comfortably, looking at him curiously, with a grateful, glad smile on her face. "See, there's some common ground. It might differ through other means, but the basis is relatively similar. Enough to talk about it, I suppose," she said. "Do the Asgardians have their own language?" she asked.

Loki: He looked over her strange smile, wondering why she should be so pleased with herself. What did she believe Asgardians would do, anyway? Sit around and discuss battle, and that was that? No... Why should a warrior fight unless he had something to defend besides the King? He nodded to her question, however. "Yes, indeed... The Aesir tongue is quite similar to your Nordic languages. I suppose such developments within the Midgardian languages have been based upon it," he explained. "It is quite a universal tongue among the nine realms, for Asgard is the most powerful within the branches of Yggdrasil."

Luna: "Do each of the realms have their own language? Or is it like Midgard, spreading out into more than four thousand?" she pressed on, her head tilting slightly in genuine curiosity. This was one of the things she was confident about, as it fell deeply into the category of her line of work; there were many languages on her own planet, yet to take into consideration even more, from different planets, it was awe-filling.

Loki: He nodded. "Each realm has its own language... Perhaps upon different areas of the realms do they have different dialects, but ultimately, it is one, universal tongue that can be understood everywhere, considering each of them have one ruler, and they must understand what he, or in some cases she, speaks," he explained, tilting his head to the side, "which would make Midgard odd... less evolutionary, considering it does not have a universal language."

Luna: Her brows furrowed as she recollected that which she once studied; there was a myriad of reasons as to why so many languages developed throughout the years... "Yes, I suppose you're right, things would be much easier if we had just one language," she said with a shrug. "Nowadays, I guess, English is a language that's becoming more and more widely used all around, though, of course, there are many, still, who don't speak it," she said, then smiled lightly when an idea came to her. She wondered... "And you can understand when I speak to you like this?" she asked him in Swedish. "Or like this?" she switched to French.

Loki: He smirked and nodded. "Yes," he replied in French, and then switched, much like her, to the Swedish tongue. "I understand any language... Consider it a power of any immortal's. Language is merely... a formality," he replied with a shrug, and then switched back into English, "It is merely a definition of culture."

Luna: She blinked, her eyes widening slightly as she gazed at him as if she had found the largest, most incredible treasure she could ever find. Subconsciously, she leaned in closer, the number of questions whirring in her mind doubling and tripling. Before her sat a man who spoke _every single language_ that Luna heard of - not only that, but those of which she has not heard. It was, so far, one of the most difficult concepts for her to grasp - that someone, without learning, can effectively and naturally speak any language at all, as if it was their native. She gazed at him, now in genuine awe. His years were baffling to her as it was, but this... This was incomprehensible. In that, she could see at least one of the reasons he found Midgardians as a species lower than any other; whereas humans spend years upon years learning another human's language, perfecting it, familiarizing with it, adopting the melody and the speech pattern of the native speakers, there _he_ was, who did not have to even _try_.

"You speak… all languages," she murmured almost weakly, in mild shock. "All of them..." she mouthed.

Loki: He smirked as she looked at him as something most precious, her lips parted in a most entertaining fashion. "Why, yes," he replied with a shrug. "By comprehending them... and therefore, speaking them," he explained simply with another shrug of his shoulders. She looked as though she was going to explode with her awe. "I _am_ a god, you know," he added lazily, leaning back upon the bed. "Perhaps it is one of the reasons your people claim me as such. They should recognize their worshipers' tongues, should they not?"

Luna: His rather arrogant way of taking her reaction almost spoiled her entire impression. Almost. She shook her head and closed her lips. There were not many who worshiped the Norse pantheon anymore, though there were those unaffected by Christianity, who went on with their Pagan ways, though it was hardly the same as it was centuries ago.

"Well," she said incredulously as she leaned back into the couch, still struggling to come to terms with this thing that was actually, a firm, proven fact. "All of them." She cupped her face in her hands for several long seconds. "You've got to be joking..."

Loki: He kept his smirk. "I may be one for pranks, dear, but I am certainly not joking about something I have always had," he replied simply. His reaction seemed to throw her indiscriminate awe slightly askew, but now she knew one of the reasons why he was considered a god by her people, not some pathetic man who attempted to subjugate her planet, fail, and then she happened to see his weaker, powerless state, and his desperate antics.

Luna: "I'm not sure if I like you more or less right now," she said. Certainly, she was envious, for he had accomplished such a feat... No, in fact, he neither accomplished it, as he never even tried, nor did he consider it a feat, as it was an ability which he always possessed. "I think it's 'more'," she decided. Oh, somehow, this entire setting became just a hair more bearable for her; at least now she knew of things to ask him and speak of with him without possibly triggering something that would put him (and thus, her) in an even fouler mood. Such a chance, such an opportunity...

Loki: He scoffed and nodded. "I am glad," he murmured, unsure of whether he should take it as an insult or not. Above all, it was something that would make her hate him less, which was, at least, what he wished for. He had enough of those who despised him with every fiber of their being, and to have one less would always be welcome for him.

Luna: It was tiring, the amount of times she asked herself after each and every thing he said - was it true? It was starting to grow to a point where it hardly mattered. He has wronged her enough already that lies should not entirely matter anymore. That's not entirely true, another part of her mind murmured - he did teach her quite a bit, but even so, that barely compensated... All it did was keep his part of the bargain. "Do you notice when you change spoken languages? Is it all the same to you? I don't suppose it would require much effort at all."

Loki: "It hardly requires effort, no, but I do tend to notice the changing of tongues... English, for instance, in its entirety is relatively choppy and odd in comparison to the tongue I have been raised speaking, so upon coming here and hearing it, I notice. But in the end, it is all the same, yes," he explained quietly, looking over her changing expressions. She looked to be in contemplation of something else now, rather than enthralled by the knowledge of his power. It didn't perturb him, but he wondered why she was so quick to change.

Luna: She gave a small sigh. "Wonderful.. So very wonderful," she said, her voice still bearing an incredulous undertone. She took notice of his slightly inquisitive gaze but she said nothing about it. "I do find this fascinating, because languages have been my primary sort of interest for years now, and I've spent quite some time learning about them, learning some of them, trying to work on them to perfection... It is just so very incredible to be around somebody who.. Well, you are much like a native speaker of each and every language on Earth. You are perfect for practicing," she said with a small chuckle. Yes, languages have been something that she had a keen interest in for a long time, but now, with his arrival and the arrival of magic in her existence, there was a threat of them being pushed lower on her scale.

Loki: He smirked and nodded. "I do suppose so," he replied, looking over her eyes, seeing the desire that they held for learning, the true fascination that she had with languages. It was none too much unlike himself. He pressed his lips together as he further continued to try and decline that thought. No, she was nothing like him.

Luna: Fickle was a word that appeared in her mind when she first saw his smirk, one that disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. He was so many things... And not always in a single body, she thought, as he was a shapeshifter, but not only of physical appearances but also of mind. As many different mentalities as there were within him, there were just as many forms he could take outwardly. Yes, he was fickle in innumerable ways, so much that it could easily appear that he only sometimes had a stable shape of both mind and body. Such an ability to change... He could be anything. He could be everything.

Loki: Seeing that she had nothing more to say to exalt him simply because of his ability that was not usually considered within his mind until he is put in comparison to another being who cannot do such a thing, he arched a brow, continuing his gazing.  
"What is it?" He asked for the umpteenth time. He didn't know why he had to know everything upon her mind, why he had to continually ask her to spell it out for him when he could not decipher by her expressions… It but felt necessary. If he was to spend time with this mortal girl, he would know her more fully than she would know herself.

Luna: "Why must you know what it is every time?" she asked, though she had a smile on her face, and her question was not at all intended on being rude in any way. This revelation, that he possessed even more things that she could use to her own sake, put her in a slightly better mood than she had been in during the past several days. "And what if I don't know what it is, and then I can't tell you?"

Loki: "Because I must," he replied simply with another shrug. He didn't know the answer, himself... "But you must have something upon your mind and you must know what it is... Why else would you be thinking in such a way?"

Luna: "Ah, very well..." she gave in after several moments. Why shouldn't she? Her thoughts were nowhere near incriminating. Not this time. "I was thinking about you and your ability to change shapes and forms. So, I concluded that you're everything at once."

Loki: He raised his eyebrows and then chuckled lightly, amused by the almost flattering thought. "Everything?" he replied, slightly surprised by her will to say such a thing, much less think it. "Curious. But I suppose that is justifiable."

Luna: "Yes, everything." She was surprised, herself, at his apparent surprise. Perhaps it has been said about him, but not _to_ him, she mused... "If you _can_ be anything, with that ability, why can't you be everything? It… suits you," she shrugged. It did, indeed. It went strangely well with his mind, or at least what she has seen of it so far. So pliable, but only on his own accord, not on the accord of anyone else.

Loki: He considered her commentary for a few moments, sitting pensively as he leaned his chin upon his hand, where his arm rested upon the armrest. He tapped his fingertips along his chin in light consideration. "I can, yes," he replied quietly, "but that does not mean I should choose to be... _everything_..." he replied thoughtfully.

Luna: "Of course not... What I also mean is that you do have that option to choose that which you wish to be. That, alone, is truly something, don't you think?" she said with a smile. Whereas others had to settle for what has been given to them, he went against such a predisposition and created out of himself that which he wished. Certainly, now and then, he allowed others to shape and bend him, but ultimately, if he genuinely wished to... It would not have to be that way.

Loki: He hummed noncommittally, with a satisfied smirk at the concept as he leaned back into the couch. "I _am_ everything," he replied with a bit of pride. There are few who could accomplish such a feat, he decided. There are few who have ventured as far as him, he knew. "And I do what I wish. I daresay, looking at it in retrospective, I should be quite pleased, yes?"

Luna: "Erm.." she lingered off, then chuckled, not wishing to answer his question entirely truthfully. He truly ought not be proud or pleased of _everything_ that he did in the past. Then again, there was much of his past of which she was not aware, so she could not say anything past that which she did know about. "I suppose, partially, yes," she said finally. She looked at him and the self-satisfied smirk on his thin lips, and for the first time, it did not irritate her. It was because of her that he was smiling as such right now, and that was yet another interesting thing to consider. He accepted her words in such a way...

Loki: He let out a chuckle. "Yes, partially," he agreed with another nod, keeping his smirk as he continued to consider everything, also amused by her reluctance to answer his almost rhetorical question. He had nothing much to say to this train of thought, knowing it only to be something to consider to make him prideful whenever he wished to be. Or whenever he was in the place to be prideful... At this current moment, he had very few things to be smug about besides the comparison of him to a mortal, which was pathetic in its own right. He slowly lost his smirk at that, resting back into an indifferent state of being, dissatisfied once more with his situation.

Luna: There he went again, she thought, looking at him as his momentary good humor dissipated. "Ah. What is it?" she asked him, echoing his words, taking her turn now. It was as if his default state of being was cranky, and indifferent at best. But that did not necessarily have to be so, as he had just smiled and even chuckled... He dove out to the surface of the water for a brief moment before he was tugged back down. Her own smile slowly disappeared, as well.

Loki: He shook his head, dismissing her question with a wave of his hand as she had so easily intended to mimic. "It is nothing," he replied. "Nothing you cannot already conjecture," he added, and then pressed his lips together, resolving back into silence. It was none of her concern, at least. And he could care less. She had no place to ask him of his thoughts, at least.

Luna: At least he gave her a hint of an answer. The situation the two of them were in for an indefinite amount of time did so weigh down on both - almost constantly, it sat atop their shoulders, pressuring, pushing, bending their moods lower and lower... It was slightly alarming, how quickly the atmosphere between them and around them could change. It made her cautious - she truly could expect anything and should never be surprised. "How is your stomach?" she asked, then.

Loki: He shrugged, as it had been an awful long amount of time after the pain that she had asked such a thing. "It is fine," he replied simply, looking down to his stomach and then back to her. "Nothing worse than I have already stood through.”

Luna: "I know, you don't need to stress it so much. It's still pain, though, so I have to ask." She gave a shrug of her own. "When do you suppose we'll be staging everything and.. leaving?" she asked after several contemplative moments.

Loki: He furrowed his brow, slightly worried for the fact that he may not be able to change when he wished to. "Within the next few days... or whenever I am capable of changing," he replied. He despised not having such a set date, knowing that his magic could be impervious to what he wished for it to do, and what it wanted to do. He hated the loss of control on just about every aspect of it.

Luna: She nodded, though she gave no other response. The only reason she would be affected by the delay of their escape was because it put him in a mood so glum that she was unwilling to be around him for as long as it lasted. He was difficult in such a manner that whenever he was irritable, it spread out like thick fog and enveloped everyone in his proximity in the same irritation, snatching them away from any light. She exhaled softly, wishing to keep him in a good mood if only for the sake of her own. "It'll go well, I believe, really," she said quietly.

Loki: He sighed, and gave a nod. "I shall see to it that it does," he replied grimly, though it was not intended to be towards her. No, he had her within his grasp, and he had no reason to fret that she would make a step out of line when the time came for it. It was more so the worry that _he_ would not be able to succeed... That _he_ would be doomed to remain here, and consequently, on Asgard.

Luna: "I don't doubt that you will..." she replied, not really to anyone in particular, or at least, not expecting any sort of a response to it. There was a silence nearing, ebbing at the edges of them, carrying with itself a tide of questions, possibilities, chances, implications, complications, issues... She did not want that; she felt as if she already had more than her share of it for the time being - she needed no more, not right now, not in the near future. She could not think about... She shut her eyes tightly for a moment, forcing a different sort of silence in her mind, a silence empty and light. She was nearing desperation for him to say something, anything.

Loki: He sighed, knowing that silence was the last thing he wanted. Silence met the chance for his mind to fill it in... He thought of something he could say, anything to prevent such madness from taking hold of him once more, anything that would strengthen the narrow line between losing everything he has worked up to and keeping it here.  
"Why is it you are so intrigued by magic?" he asked randomly, asking the first question he could even think of asking her. "Besides the obvious fact that you've never seen it before..."

Luna: A relieved exhale escaped her, and the corner of her lips twitched as if it would curve upward. The answer to the question was lengthy and it entailed very much of _her_ , something that she was unsure she was willing to give to him. But she could not simply summarize it, shorten it, without giving at least some explanation.

"First, there were books. I spent a lot of time with those - be it my parents reading to me, or Zane, or myself... With time, I.. inclined towards those books in which magic was present, written about, spoken about, wielded. Towards the books which hardly dealt with the day and age in which they were written. Perhaps, in their basis, they dealt with the situations anyone might deal with, but through slightly different means - means altered with magic," she spoke slowly, choosing her words, her voice growing increasingly quiet.

"No matter who wrote the book in question, no matter how one described the magic, there were always common points in which they all met. I.. I suppose I simply find it fascinating that one can assume power through their mind, through their very being, through something less physical than everything else," she looked down, fidgeting with her hands as she spoke. "I am yet to see if the magic you introduced to me is anything like the magic I envisioned…" she lingered off timidly. It was nowhere near the entire reason, but she doubted that he would want to hear more, just as much as she doubted that she might want to tell him more.

Loki: He listened as she spoke, knowing such books were but fiction that authors came about through concepts conjured on their own accord…  
"I see," he replied when she was finished. "Magic... is magic. It has the one task of creating, of molding and doing as one pleases... I don't suppose that very concept has changed in the... _delightful_ fantasy novels I am sure you have read."

Luna: "The concept, no.. There have been many different perceptions of magic, and that, in itself, I find interesting, as well - seeing the various ways in which one's mind can comprehend and use such a thing," she shrunk slightly, subconsciously reaching for the blanket sitting not too far away from her on the couch and grasping it to herself. "For me, it is something for a person to turn to, in a way.. It is something alive, something with which one can create such a bond that cannot be found elsewhere. But even so, the bond must be cared for, the magic, itself, must be cared for. What it has in common with other bonds is that it requires balance, discipline, willingness on both sides, not just one. One cannot force it or _make_ it do anything..." she spoke, her eyes distant and a soft smile on her face as she recalled that particular sensation she had whilst reading, and then the one she has felt while wielding the said entity, trying with all of her might to morph it into sensible words.

"There must be mutual understanding... One should not _use_ magic, as the magic may well use _them_ , instead..." she shook her slightly, the smile not leaving her features. "And I, well.. I always wished to obtain such a profound bond. To _feel_ it around me, to.. work with it... And you.." she looked up at him with a gleam in her eyes. "You are helping me have that." Her smile broke out in a genuine, grateful, _happy_ grin.

"Thank you."

Loki: He looked over her suddenly very pleased smile. She looked to be impeccably satisfied, so genuinely pleased. The corners of his lips twisted upwards in a faint smile as hers was quite infectious. He, for once, gave some sort of satisfaction to another that was not entirely selfish. She looked as though she genuinely meant to thank him, not because it was forced, not because it was to be expected, and not that she felt utterly obliged to, but because she _wanted_ to.

"You are quite welcome," he replied slowly, knowing he had never truly meant those words before... not until now. He folded his hands in front of him. "I am pleased to know I have such... a passionate pupil, I suppose..."

Luna: "Well, you see, if it didn't hurt you so badly to teach me, I'd probably be pestering you for it day and night," her laugh was a tinge apologetic, though her words were true - if this did not involve such a large amount of discomfort, she would have been relentless at having him teach her as much as he could for the short amount of time they were bound to spend together. He granted her something which she had always desired, and if for nothing else, she would always be grateful to him for that particular thing. She couldn't _not_ be, as this was bigger for her than he could have possibly imagined, having grown up knowing of magic and finding it something as natural as the air they breathed. Yet to her...

Loki: He smirked once more, finding it somewhat amusing to see such dedication to an art that she had never truly seen until now. "And I would oblige," he replied quietly, though he knew that if it did not pain him so, he would have easily pulled his way out of this house by a simple act of disappearance. He would never even needed to have taught her, as she would never catch him. But he would not have mentioned that to her, as she seemed to be in a somewhat good mood now for now…

Luna: She gave him a glad nod and a smile to match, settling back into the couch. With each day, the magic seemed increasingly worth the whole situation... At least she was getting something out of all of this; and quite a something it was.


	17. Chapter 17

Loki: Loki worked vigorously, despite the pain, in order to change his form. He worked throughout the day and night, adding little by little onto what little power he was capable of achieving. He attempted to change, first with his hair, and then eventually each and every facial feature. Each and every morning, he found himself fatigued, worn and torn, his eyes sinking inwards each and every time he worked his energy to the point he began to sleep whenever he needed it. It was an act of passion, he knew, as he knew that if he did not act within the next few days, there stood the chance that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents would return, or even Thor would return and claim him back to Asgard. He was driven by that thought, knowing what he wanted, and knowing what he was going to accomplish.

He worked harshly, until the pain was finally all but a callous, a small thought in the back of his mind. The day came when he was capable of changing the majority of his facial features, making him slightly shorter, altering his weight and giving himself blond hair... He took on the persona of Baldur, when it came down to it. A man who was no longer in existence, all thanks to him... The dull ache of pain was there, and he kept the facade for the majority of one night spent in his bedroom. The following afternoon, he came down the stairs in his usual form, searching to see where Luna might be to discuss the fact he was entirely sure he was capable of escaping that day.

Luna: Luna spent the majority of her time minding her own business, though she did dedicate quite a large portion of her attention to just the right way of disabling what she needed to, just in case - she wished to be ready, if they were going to do this, and inevitably, they would - as far as Loki was concerned. She kept most of it in her mind, however, as she trusted neither paper, nor pen, nor technology to handle her thoughts, for once they were out and existent elsewhere than her mind, there was a chance one might get to them and use them against her. So, most of her calculations and revisions and pondering were kept within the confines of her dark-haired head.

She knew that Loki, too, was working rather hard on his share of the work, as there were clear signs of it upon him - the bruises around his eyes grew darker from what she presumed was a lack of rest, he had difficulties for a while keeping his posture straight, due to the pain that he worked relentlessly on keeping under his control. They did not speak very much during that time, as the both of them knew what they were supposed to do, and so to that they stuck. She was sitting on one of the tall stools that stood against the kitchen island, her temples between her fingers as, to herself, she recounted various matters.

Loki: "Luna," he announced as he came down the stairs, attempting to straighten his back, "I believe I am ready," he added with a bit of pride. He wore a small grin despite the aches that were riding throughout his body. He would prove to the Allfather, at least, if he was caught, that he was capable of going through his damned curses, his tortures... He was stronger than any knew.

Luna: Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice as she turned around to face him. "Ah.." she said, wondering if she, herself, was ready. Her mind corrected her that there was hardly a time when one could feel prepared for such a thing, as far as personal state went. However, most of the technical parts of their plan were already developed and established in her head - now, with his own claim that he was ready, all there was left for them to do was to set up the scene. Her lips pressed together in small, inevitable anxiety.

Loki: He looked over her anxious expression, glancing around them, deciding where they should begin. He knew they had to set up her "death" scene for who ever comes to investigate, so he had to make it realistic... spotless. He glanced around himself. "Where should we begin?" he muttered quietly, knowing very well she knew what he meant.

Luna: She looked over to the plate of her unfinished lunch, an idea sparking in her mind. "Here," she said, gesturing towards the kitchen. "I was having dinner, which you naturally refused," she began explaining, "when the power went out and I never got to finish it," she said, rising from her chair and away from the counter; she glanced through the window - the sun was up, still, giving them quite enough time before nightfall to arrange everything as needed. She looked about the kitchen, attempting to envision it in the dark, and she knew she would be extremely disoriented, at least at first, until her sight grew accustomed to the lack of light.

Loki: He smirked at the plate of food set before him, as it even looked as though he would refuse it. He then knocked down her utensil, followed by the entire plate, sending it clattering down to the ground, the pieces of food scattering. "And the shock of the suddenness had you inadvertently knock the plate over," he added, setting his plate of food further away from the edge of the table, taking a sip of his own glass of water.

Luna: She nodded in agreement, a fleeting thought passing her by that if this was truly the way it played out, if the two of them were not cooperating, that she would hardly stand a chance. She did not stand one in broad daylight, let alone in the pitch black of a power outage. A small frown came to her features as she approached the chair she was sitting upon and shoved it, turning if over so that it landed on the ground. Chances were that she would most likely knock over more than just that in her blind scramble to get away. By the archway leading into the living room was another set of counters, upon which small, porcelain spice containers stood. She began making her way towards them in backward steps, keeping her eyes on him curiously.

Loki: He tipped over his own chair, walking towards her as though he were hurriedly approaching her. If he was to strangle her, he would try to make it as fast-paced and as enjoyable as possible… He would chase her around for a while, giving them both the thrill of it, taking what recompense he could for all the wrongs the Midgardians placed upon him humiliatingly, exerting what small revenge he could upon this girl... He walked forwards as she walked backwards, approaching her lithely, but quickly.

Luna: She wondered in the back of her mind how it would all unravel; if he were to escape, he would want to achieve that as soon as possible, so he might not spend as much time on killing her as he might have, otherwise. Then again, she reminded herself that he would derive some sort of joy from it in any way, at least for a little while, before he left. The thought made her skin break out in shivers, as the reminder of just who she was dealing with was quite sharp...

She grabbed one of the containers and smashed it against the ground, managing to genuinely cringe from the loud noise it produced. She quickly began speaking, in order to give this reenactment some light, so that it would not, by chance, develop into something realer.  
"This wouldn't have hindered you in any way, now, would it?"

Loki: He smirked as she spoke, and then shook his head.  
"Doubtful," he replied simply, continuing to walk forward, curiously seeing where she would go, almost closing the distance between them. "You are a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent... You'd still have some sort of fight in you, hmm?" he asked, continuing to smirk so she might think as clearly as possible. He did not want to entirely scare her away from thinking about the situation they were trying to set up.

Luna: Her chuckle was more breathy and dry than she intended for it to be. There was something deeply unsettling about his stealthy, smooth moves towards her, the careful way he kept her in his gaze... She blinked several times, reminding herself that this was merely a play they were putting on, that even though there was a chance for him to turn on her even now, that he still needed her for higher chances of a successful escape, that he was merely a very, _very_ good actor. She gave him a small, unstable smile as she turned to run; she skipped towards the living room, making a point of catching the carpet with her foot and piling it up slightly before moving on, her eyes gliding around the living room.  
"The door would be locked, I assume, so there's no way of me unlocking it in time and getting out," she said musingly, stating the facts.

Loki: He nodded, picking up his pace as she ran, considering he would want to catch her and be done with her as quickly as possible, and if she was running, accomplishing that would be fractionally more difficult. He saw the fear that was ever so naturally behind her eyes, though he merely ignored it, resuming with the charade. He would simply try to corner her... but which corner? He looked around, too as he came even closer to her, looking for what she would back herself in to.

Luna: There were very few things in the living room with which she could protect herself. However, something that caught her eye that might have been even remotely useful was the fire poker. She slowed her pace towards it, not wanting to feel as if this was the reality, though it would help in staging everything as properly as possible, as it would give it a particular feel, an atmosphere riddled with fear and panic and adrenaline...

She walked by a lamp on her way, and then she stopped, taking several steps to return to the lamp, where she swung her arm at it and sent it flying. Then, she continued making her way towards the fireplace, where she grabbed the poker and twisted around to point it at him. Her eyebrows were raised expectantly.

Loki: He watched with amusement as she threw aside a rather heavy lamp in what would be used in her defense, letting it crash upon the floor to his left, and then he found her pointing the fire poker that he used to practice his magic with directly at him. He smirked and then took the fire poker from her easily and pointing it at her instead. He wouldn’t want to give her any false hopes that she could actually survive… As was only realistic.

He used the poker as a brace as he backed her against the wall none too forcefully, so that their bodies were just barely pressed together. He looked down, his eyes glinting with entertainment; he did not want to touch her, but if it had come to this, he knew he would have had to. That would not have been problematic. He pressed his hand against her shoulder, gently forcing her against the wall, his other hand using the poker to do the same thing.

Luna: It was as if she had hardly any control of her body; she let him maneuver her any which way he thought would be best, though she was having some trouble trying to think of a reason of why this particular thing was necessary - she hardly needed to be against the wall now, and he hardly had any reason to do such a thing, save for taking the reenactment to a slightly higher level, showing just how it would all have went. She exhaled slowly, squirming slightly against the uncomfortable poker pressing against her shoulder and running straight underneath her chin, mere inches away from her neck. She looked up at Loki, craning her head to be able to see him well enough, though he, too, was only very few inches away from her. She could feel the cold radiating from his skin quite acutely, as the entire ordeal warmed her skin more than was comfortable. It was even further increased when she saw the entertainment glinting in his eyes, seeing that he enjoyed this more than he would let on with words.

She squirmed further against his admittedly gentle pinning, placing her hands on his chest and giving him a shove, planting her foot behind his so that he may trip. She knew that, in all reality, his hold on her would have been firmer than she could rid herself of, but after a quick glance about the room, she knew that things needed to be ruffled up just a little bit more.

Loki: He felt the touch of her foot against the back of his ankle and she, rather unexpectedly, gave him a shove backwards. Though it would not have affected him otherwise, he played along with it, tripping back slightly, the poker still in his hand. If he were in any other position, he would have simply flung the poker towards her, impaling her to a finish. But alas, they had agreed on strangulation.

He stumbled just enough to ruffle the carpet slightly, landing him close to one of the side tables, his arm shooting backwards to use it as a brace, at the same time, knocking off a book that had been placed there. He then glared at her, attempting to make her run for her life in order to continue this messing up of the living room, as he knew she was quite scared as it was, as if he was going to actually hurt her. He let her run loose for a few seconds, just to see what she might do.

Luna: She recognized the message his glare sent, and so, she turned and ran towards the front door. Even if there was no hint in his glare, it would have most likely sent her putting more and more distance between them. She grabbed a small end table which sat adjacently to the wall; she turned, then and threw the wooden thing back, hoping it would at least strike him while running, making him stumble for at least a fraction of a second, a fraction that might mean her saving herself, however unlikely it seemed. She knew that she would never reach the door, though, but she did not stop on her way towards it. For just a heartbeat, it seemed so very real, as if she were truly running to make her escape from the lethal man at her heels. She shuddered slightly, turning to see where he was.

Loki: He ran over the end table she threw his way, evading it, though rather closely – it nearly struck its target. He stormed even faster towards her, seeing her destination was the door. Very well... If that was to be the place of her "death", so be it. He glared as he let her finish running, coming up even faster behind her, consequently pushing her up against the wall adjacent to the door. His teeth grit as he managed to push her so that her feet were dangling above the ground, making it so that her neck would be of easier access. His expression eased as he knew she would hardly have any way of escaping his grip now.

How easy it would be to kill her _now_ , however... so easy… He could snap her neck, casting her aside. He could set the house on fire, he could figure out how to shut off the power, himself. She was so fragile...

Luna: Before she could restrain it, a small, surprised noise left her lips as he so very easily propped her up against the wall. More out of reflex than anything else, she swung her legs in an attempt to judge just how far the floor was under her feet; after several seconds, however, she ceased, and she turned her eyes to meet his, her own widening slightly. He became so very still, and so did she; her heart was hammering against her chest, and she wondered if he could hear it, for it was all she could hear as it echoed in her ears.

Slowly, something shifted, draining the situation of any and all amusement it might have given either of them. She could not look away from his eyes, the slowly, but surely changing green that grew shadowed with something that set off an alarm within her like nothing else did so far. Unblinking, she held her breath, as if the mere strength of his stare and of the entire situation acted as a replacement for his hands, because they took her air away. The dreadful moment grew longer and longer, and in it, she felt as if it truly was the end.

Loki: He moved a hand closer to her throat in that thought process. He could kill her mercilessly, tighten his grasp upon her neck, feel her elevated pulse beat futilely beneath his fingers before he halted it for good… He could watch the life seep and drain out of her, such as he had for many other mortals in the months prior... He should have done it a long time ago. He did not need her. He was one of the most intelligent beings in the nine realms, he could find his way around Midgard, he can fight his way away from S.H.I.E.L.D, he could threaten, and he could go around Thor for as long as possible. He would find a way out. He did not need to drag along a pathetic Midgardian woman who seemed to only taunt him.

His grip on her shoulders noticeably tightened, as they inched their way up to her neck, the temptation still present, her heartbeat beckoning him to extinguish it...

And what would he gain from this? An easy escape? For a life that was small, but a life all the same? He saw before his eyes the way she and her brother looked at each other... He could hear her laughter, he could hear her speak of magic in the most energetic way possible, he could feel the way she wished to learn...

Luna: The breath that she was holding escaped her sharply and began coming in and out shallowly and quickly the moment she felt his hold on her tighten, the moment she felt the cold skin of his hand crawling towards her exposed throat. Nevertheless, their eyes were still locked, as there was something within them that would not let her go as surely as his hands; she had never seen one's eyes change in such a manner, especially not so suddenly, shifting, darkening, gaining a tinge to them that frightened her beyond anything else he had done up until that point.

Her hand snapped to his reflexively, determined not to let him go through with... She did not notice her body subconsciously squirming on its own accord, as all of her focus was divided between his disturbing gaze and his hand, which she now wrapped her fingers around and attempted to remove from herself. Her mind felt broken as the thoughts rushed around, shouting warnings in her head and trying to convince her, at the same time, that he would not kill her, not now...

Loki: With a single blink, his eyes began clearing. His brow furrowed, for his mind forgot that he had told her he would not harm her as long, so long as she did what she was told. And she was doing as she was told, was she not? She was squirming underneath him, most likely believing he would kill her now, after everything she has done as he nearly forced her to with hardly any rash ways of fighting that would disrupt his plans. He taught her magic, and he was relatively kind to her... and he was close to killing her.

Letting one arm loose, he punched the wall above her hand, leaving a dent within it before carefully letting her go. He turned away from her instantly, stepping away from her quickly, as if he might turn against himself. Why did he want to kill her? He had no previous intentions to before... His mind fought with him, as he continued stepping away from her, going to the other side of the room. It was all in the thought that he needed to fake her death so she could come with him, he told himself repeatedly. What was he doing? The sudden loss of control was befuddling for him, his mind whirring with every bit of loss of clarity he had... He could have controlled himself better...

Luna: She had to stifle a scream when his fist collided with the wall, as the action was unexpected, sudden, and so very loud. It startled her to the extent where her legs would not cooperate once he let her go and began backing away - she leaned heavily against the wall, still, as it was her only means of support momentarily. Her fingertips dug into it as if grasping for further support, one that she would not receive from thin air.  
Her eyes remained glued to his tall frame as he fortunately put more and more distance between them, following his each and every step, wary, for now she was so crudely reminded just how fickle he was, how quickly and unpredictably he could snap from one state of mind to the other... Nothing but his own will stopped him now from returning to finish that which he was about to begin. She did not dare move, though she wanted to, but she did not think her legs would take her far.

Loki: His fingers raked through his hair, attempting to find some sort of sanity as he continued to walk away, frustrated with the sudden lack of control. He did not want to kill her, he told himself repeatedly. He didn't want to... There was no personal satisfaction that could be derived from her death, other than the fact he would have her cease speaking to him, have one less body to worry of around him. Did he want to kill her? Did he want to seek enjoyment from her lack of life?

He groaned loudly in disgust, feeling as though he did not know himself. There were few parts of him that were any sort of good, but even his bad parts did not want him to kill pointlessly. He worked his way towards the stairs, wishing to calm down his mind. A thousand thoughts coming at him at once. He wanted peace... He needed to think straight...

Luna: She watched his increasingly mad motions as he began to stumble towards the stairs and up them, running his fingers through his hair, as if placing them there just so that he would not put them to more disturbing uses. Her own hand went to her throat as if to protect it. It tingled faintly with the cold remnants of his large hands, and another shiver ran up her spine, causing a shudder to course through her. The moment he was out of her sight, her legs gave out and in an attempt to slow her fall down, she slid down the wall and found herself on the ground, her hands now interchangeably curling and loosening. Her mind kick-started back into clearer thoughts, through which she had to remind herself to breathe and to calm down.

Never had she seen in someone's eyes such an overwhelming desire to hurt, to maim, to kill... She doubled over, her hair falling about her head as she leaned forwards, shutting her eyes firmly and trying to chase the image out of them, an image she knew was already chiseled into her very being. She hoped with all she had that he would not return in such a state - she was lucky he seemed to regain some sort of recognition before he proceeded with that which he inexorably wanted. She was unsure whether such luck would strike twice. She was still so very aware of her loud heart and she focused harder on sending away the fear and the shivers that plucked at her every few seconds.

Loki: He hardly made it to his room before he doubled over, sliding down the wall as he had half a mind to turn around and just kill her now, knowing what an easy ordeal it would be, how it would simplify it all... but he didn't want to. She was innocent, she was kind, and she would be of no trouble for him... She could, even, become a friend of sorts, for she seemed to understand things others did not...

But that was preposterous! She was a mortal. A pathetic, whiny mortal who would cause him nothing but a slow-down on his path out of Midgard. She would require food, and water, and... and some sort of intimacy requiring touching...

But why should that bother him? He bedded multiple women. He was considered a very successful lover, a very skilled one… He could touch and be touched, and he knew what, exactly, made a woman want him...

But why should he need that now? The rest of his life will see no companions, why should it start now?  
He hid his head into his arms as he folded against the wall, trying to decipher his thoughts as they seemed to argue with themselves.

* * *

Luna: Luna was unsure of the length of time that passed, for she was concentrating so very hard on suppressing this entire event and all the nerve-wracking feelings it inevitably brought alongside itself. She could not hear him, nor see him, but she did not even wish to as she blocked everything around herself, even trying to disregard the sounds her body was making, her breathing, her heartbeat; even her thoughts were loud as she tried to silence them, cast them away to be dealt with at a later time, as right now, she did not see herself fit to deal with just about anything. She curled unto herself as her hands clutched at her own shins as she forced the silence, needing to calm down.

She did not know just how long she was sitting there, on the hard ground, against an even harder wall, when she felt a peculiar sort of familiarity drift quite nearby, though she could not entirely discern where. She froze, rooting herself in place and ceasing all of her movements as her attention was so suddenly diverted to _something_ that she knew but could not quite recognize presently. She quietened her breathing, and though her heart still thudded heavily, it was now doing so for a slightly different reason - she was straining and focusing to recognize that which she inexplicably felt, trying to pinpoint precisely what it was. Soon enough, her concentration and her attention went wholly into it as she reached out in an attempt to comprehend it, to sense better what it was. Quite suddenly, realization dawned on her and made her lips part in surprise; she felt around the slightly vague edges of the magic that Loki said was always in the air around them, if she could only find it for herself... Her heart nearly skipped a beat at this new revelation, and she was very close to letting her concentration shatter to bits with the sudden desire to keep the energy with her for as long as she could. She could feel the slow and certain tug at her muscles as she tensed and grabbed at the magic, holding it to herself dearly.

Hardly thinking of anything else, she shouted Loki's name; the shout was loud, though it quivered and almost broke before it was entirely out.

Loki: The sound of his name being called was what made him snap, feeling his insides writhe to gain up the recognition that he was upstairs within a Midgardian home, intently attempting to go into his room and seek peace, but here he was, crumpled upon the floor, and utterly confused. He continued to cradle his head within his arms, wondering what could possibly be going on that his name would be called in such a way.

He tried to breathe, inhaling and exhaling, trying to calm his heartbeat. The darkness was far more comfortable, far more familiar, far more inviting than the alien light. He didn't like changing out of someone else’s accord, he didn't like being pushed to do things he didn't want. This was the wounds inflicted by Thanos and the Tesseract slowly being ripped open, the stitches easily coming undone as if made of the most frail of materials. He unfurled his body, as he looked as though he were about to be physically abused by his own thoughts, and used the wall as a crutch to stand further up.

Luna: She did not hear any sort of movement from upstairs, which made her call out once again, this time in more of a rush as she almost frantically held onto the scarce bits of magic that she could. She tried to calm herself, because she was unsure whether the magic would be willing to stay if she let such clumsy panic take over the place of her concentration. She needed to show him before it escaped, dissipated and returned to the air around her; she was unsure if she could grasp it again if such a thing happened, and her stomach churned slightly from the dreaded feeling that mere thought brought on. She held the energy in both her hands, not wanting to do absolutely anything else with it, worried that she might drop it - so, she held it as safely as she thought possible, relishing in the feeling of it, running her fingers along it. It took such a toll on her body, she could feel it more openly than she wanted to, but it came to her. It came to her.

Loki: His name being called out frantically sparked something more in him, an initiative to tend to the being who was calling out his name so desperately. He struggled, attempting to put one foot in front of the other as he worked his way back closer to the stairs, focusing only to clear his mind so he might tend to whatever the girl was calling for, if she was actually intensely injured. 

He stepped down, one at a time, as he looked over the staircase to see the girl in the relatively same position he left her in, curled in on herself with her hands outstretched, and slowly, ever so slowly, did he walk back to her, kneeling down in front of her as he did sense another sort of energy about her hands... one that she had on her own doing.

Luna: She hardly noticed him approach her, as she was exerting so strongly to maintain the magic and not let it go for a moment, not until he saw it. She opened her eyes and slowly tilted her head up to look at him before pointedly looking at the palms of her hands.  
"Loki…" she breathed out, a nervous pang jarring in her stomach. She did not want to think about what he almost did, all she wanted was to savor this particular moment in which the magic, itself, came to her on its own accord and perhaps her subconscious, unaware beckoning. She held it as if it was the most precious thing one could imagine. "I… It came."

Loki: He furrowed his brow as he crouched down closer to her, placing one of his own hands around hers as he attempted to sense just what she had concocted. He ran his other hand through his hair, befuddled as to how she could possibly have such a strong connection already that she had been able to find it so easily. He blinked in small confusion. "So it has," he replied quietly.

Luna: She held onto it for a longer time, still, even though it was becoming quite uncomfortable to do so, the energy tugging and pulling at the muscles of her body. But she refused to let it go now that she had it, for the very first time, all on her own, with no help from him... Perhaps there was some help from his side, even indirectly? She could not claim for sure how she stumbled upon this tiny bit of magic as she did, but perhaps it had a connection to him, again. She couldn't see why it wouldn't. She spared some attention to the fact of his proximity, but she realized that for any further inspections upon his being, she would have to let go of the energy; so, she allowed herself only to be cautious of him now with a small part of her mind, as much as was necessary, but no more. He still toyed with his hair, but he seemed calmer, in a way, and that placed the slightest bit of ease in her, though she still hoped so profoundly that he would not decide to kill her right then and there.

Loki: He felt over the magic she held in her hands, feeling as how thick the magic was, attempting to discover just how potent it was. He pressed his lips together, attempting to sort out what he was thinking in comparison to what was transpiring. He moved away after a moment, knowing that his mind was still not at peace, and he did not want her to see any further irritation from him... He had already done enough. He could have very well severed any ties that he shared with the girl by acting out of violence like he had. He did not _mean_ to…

Luna: As silent minutes passed by, her body began trembling once again, but for a reason much different this time - fear was not so deeply in her anymore, though a considerable ghost of it remained. This time, the magical energy was draining her physical one, slowly, but surely. Soon enough, when she felt she might not hold on for much longer, she released the magic and let it disperse elsewhere. The moment she did that, however, she doubled over further, holding herself propped up with her hands on the ground. She reminded herself to even her breathing, which was rather difficult, as she felt as if she had several hours of vigorous, strenuous exercise previously. She paid barely any attention to him, as she was sufficiently occupied with keeping herself well.

Loki: He watched with caution as she bent over, sufficiently fatigued from the carrying of the magic that she had summoned, herself. Now he did not have to provide the magic for her, so long as she could find it herself. It would work out best for the both of them, for she will practice on her own, and would not need him…

He came closer to her once more, knowing she was weak and may just as well need reassuring that he was _not_ about to kill her and that he would try to not harm her again, but he wondered if that would even do any sort of justice... if she would even believe him. Perhaps it was best for people to simply continue believing that they should assume the worst of him. He stood up after a long while and then went into the kitchen to find a bottle of water, as that seemed to be the only way that they could keep the peace between the both of them. He extended it to her once more, apologies riddling his eyes.

Luna: Somewhere in the back of her mind did she notice that he left and then returned once more, but she could not respond very much to it, not momentarily. She lifted her eyes to see him offering her some water, which she gladly, gratefully accepted. Ever so cautiously, she pushed at the ground to unfurl herself, straighten her back and lean against the wall; it was a more difficult task than she would have liked, growing irritated at the way the magic weakened her to such a ridiculous point… Perhaps practice was key and all she had to do was accustom her muscles to the strain and have them endure more than they previously could. She took the bottle with both her hands, draining half of it before putting it down on the ground to rest beside her. She looked up at him and gave him a single, appreciative nod. Now, she could focus on him a little better - the gaze with which he met her was, fortunately, not the one she had last seen. His hair was entirely ruffled and slicked back from the amount of times she assumed he ran his hand through it, and each line on his face depicted fatigue and... apology? Her brow furrowed slightly as she tiredly tried to decipher what she was seeing.

Loki: He met her gaze for the longest time, unsure of what to say or do. He was not very skilled in apologies, as he was hardly one to ever do such a thing. Long gone was the time when he apologized for anything, knowing things he did were wrong. He supposed he could never really dole out apologies for each and every wrongdoing he has committed. He did things he thought were justified, so why should he think back to them? He leaned against the wall she, too, leaned against, her eyes obviously confused and wary through her fatigue and distress. "I did not mean to frighten you," he replied quietly, his voice faint and unsure.

Luna: Were she not so exhausted, she might have moved away from him, but this way, she could do very little but remain sitting where she was. She turned her head to look at him, her eyes following his motions, though she knew that any sort of wariness would be for nothing, as he could easily do with her as he pleased. She drew in a small sigh and continued looking at him. "What happened?" she asked just as uncertainly, for she did not know whether or not she truly wanted to know. But perhaps, with that knowledge would also come one in which she would know what to do to prevent it, should it happen again.

Loki: He swallowed before answering. "I am uncertain..." he replied quietly, knowing that that, if anything, would scare her. It scared him. He was not as in control of himself as he thought he was. If this is what happened when he did not know what he was doing, then what else had transpired without him knowing? He blinked a few times hazily. "I lost control, I assume," he added honestly, his brow furrowing. "However, I will try to not let that happen again..."

Luna: She looked away for a moment, her eyes straying this way and that before returning to his own. She truly could not tell whether this all was a ruse. "It did frighten me, so very much..." she admitted, toying with her fingers. She wondered if there was a trigger of some sorts that was pulled in certain occasions, situations, for certain reasons... If so, she should stay as far away from it as one possibly can. "Please, try," she said, pleading in her voice. She did not wish to see him in such a state ever again, though she knew that it was etched in her mind and that it would not go away for a very long time, still.

Loki: He nodded. "I shall do my best," he replied honestly. "I promised not to harm you and I shall keep to that for as long as I am entirely capable," he replied quietly, his brows pulled together. He shifted his weight before her to look at her directly, so she would not have to crane her head upwards to look upon him. "I promise, still," he repeated, trying to emphasize that as much as he could, as he knew she would believe he would not uphold it.

Luna: She contemplated his words for several moments before ultimately nodding. And what happens when he is not capable? She could imagine several situations, including the one that had just transpired, that could very well render his promise useless, as if it was never spoken. Nevertheless, she nodded in acknowledgement and agreement.  
"Alright..." she said quietly, looking at him who now so willingly lessened their distance, whose face was a perfect picture of apology and of determination.. She knew that there was hardly any point in wondering whether his words and actions were true or not; she could spend her entire life doing so and never get a proper answer. Then, she attempted to lift herself from the ground, as her body was growing rather uncomfortable on the firmness.

Loki: He raised himself to his feet as she did, somewhat pleased that she accepted his words so easily, though he could still see the indecision beneath her eyes. Now, he could only hope to prove his honesty through actions over time. He glanced around himself, seeing that the living room had been sufficiently destroyed for now. "And now?" he asked, after a few silent beats between the both of them. "We wait?" he pressed, trying to bring her to the situation at hand.

Luna: She leaned against the wall, still, following the path his eyes made across the room, oddly satisfied with how they've redecorated. "Yes, we should wait until the sun sets," she nodded in agreement. She felt so very heavy to herself, and she hoped that the dreadful feeling will abandon her before it is time for them to flee, as there was a very high chance of it hindering her, and thus, him. "A black out would work better at night time, after all," she stated obviously. She looked at the couch wistfully, wishing to move to sit on it, but she couldn't bring herself to. She thought, also, with a look towards the steps, of her things, bits and pieces she began packing rather early, just in case he decides to speed things up; she could not bring very much, and it was slightly difficult, choosing just what to bring and what not, determining what might be needed...

Loki: He nodded in agreement. "That is true," he replied thoughtfully. "And I am to assume you are also prepared? The devices are thoroughly tampered with, yes?" he asked quietly, leaning against the wall next to her. He was quite pleased with the way things were going, knowing that escape was near, and soon enough, might he be off of this realm for good. Yes, that was a thought for him to muse upon. One day, he shan't ever see a mortal again.

Luna: After brief reminding, she gave him a confirming nod. "Indeed so," she said hopefully. She always expected at least one thing to go wrong, so her expectations were never higher than they were supposed to be; she hoped, however, that this particular ordeal would go without any unsolvable complications. Her eyes rested on him for a while during that thought, as she did not know what would happen if something went wrong - and she did not want to know, either.

Loki: He nodded with a smile of satisfaction. Oh, how hopeful he was... How close he was to what he desired, he could nearly touch it. To be free of everything and anything that had held him back in the past, to not have to see Jotunheim or Midgard or Asgard ever again - at least, not until after they have forgotten who he is. He could start over after several centuries, make something else for himself... How pleasing a thought.


	18. Chapter 18

Luna: She drew in a slow, quiet sigh. She watched as the smile returned to his lips and the traces of the horror slowly faded; oh, how pleased she was for that fact, as she had seldom seen something as alarming as the way he gazed at her for those several overly long seconds. She could guess at his thoughts, and quite successfully, she thought. It was something as near genuine happiness as she has ever before seen on him. It was strange, that... It hardly contained any sort of malice within it, as might have been expected. In truth, she had to admit to herself that it looked so very much like relief, that which was drawn on his features.

Loki: With time, he rose and began walking towards the stairs, making his way back to his room to collect what few belongings he had. He only needed to gather them into his storage room of sorts, so he would not need to carry an extraneous bag of any sort. "I shall gather my things," he added as an explanation as he quickly disappeared into his bedchambers.

He opened the mostly-empty wardrobe which had a few pairs of pants and shirts he could bring along. His Asgardian garb lay where the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had placed it when they moved him in, insisting upon him wearing normal, dreadful Midgardian attire... as if it should matter, considering he would hardly be seen. He was grateful in part, however, knowing he could not simply walk into the much more populated world wearing what he did. He gathered his tunic as a sort of comfort for himself and use it as his attire for when he does leave. Other than his clothing, he had nothing of more importance, and his "packing" was short-lived.

Luna: She nodded, though after several moments, she decided to follow in his footsteps - she had separated most of what she intended on bringing, and now all she had to do was place it in a bag small enough not to present any sort of hindrance to her while running. She would need to leave some room in there for food, as well - even though he may not need much of it, she was still a human. She did not know what to expect of any of this, so as precaution, she would eat only when absolutely necessary, and would try and bend her hunger to her will. In truth, she had no clue whatsoever as to how often they would be able to acquire more food, where they shall be sleeping, et cetera... Most of the questions she had in her mind would remain unanswered until further.

Loki: He looked around the rest of his bedchambers, seeing that he still had the book he was attempting to read cast off to the floor. He picked it up, wondering when the next time he would be able to access such a library... and in reality, he had not an idea. He furrowed his brow in slight disappointment, knowing that not only would he be leaving Asgard, but his own library he had spent centuries collecting for, and now he was degraded into this silly piece of Midgardian literature. He set the book aside, figuring he should keep it in case...  
He left his bedroom to head back down the stairs, seeing the girl was still packing her belongings. If he was any kinder, he would have offered to store her belongings for her... It did not take him long to decide that he'd rather not.

Luna: She felt hardly anything towards this house, towards her room... The only bright mark it would leave upon her memory was that of the place in which she had first came in contact with magic. That is something she doubted would ever leave her - all the sensations and emotions during the relatively fruitless attempts leading up to the realization of that which she so yearned for... However, apart from that, the house held no reason for her to miss it in any way. If things go a certain way, she might grow to miss comforts of a bed or something similar, yet that could be connected to just about any bed, situated in just about any house. Therefore, this house was more or less nothing to her.

The last thing she packed before leaving her bedroom was money, and quite a bit of it, too. S.H.I.E.L.D. was rather generous when it came to her employment, and she never knew when it might come in handy. She then descended the stairs, once again taking in the rather ruined state of the living room, nodding to herself in reassurance.

Loki: He took his place on the couch, leaning back, enjoying his increasing chances victory in any way he could. He watched the girl descend the stairs, bag in hand, looking to be ready whenever they decided it was time. He saw the sun was very close to disappearing, and it would be nearing the time they were to flee. He sighed in content, knowing that, for once, everything was going the way he wished it to.

Luna: She did not linger for very long in the living room, as she continued on her way to the kitchen, to pack what little she could; nothing that would spoil, she reminded herself. How strange it was, to have to think of something such as survival and all that was related to it... It was a wholly new situation for her, one she hoped she would not tangle herself into far more complexly than she could get out of. Her eyes fell on him as she busied about the kitchen while making sure she did not usurp anything the two of them have previously, deliberately set up. Oh, how she hoped he would keep to his promise and keep her safe.

Loki: His eyes followed her as she flit around the kitchen, packing what looked like to be enough food for her in the coming days. He knew there would be the possibility of them buying food... and if not, he was somewhat skilled in hunting, though he doubted she would be in the slightest appreciative of what he may be able to prepare. On that thought, he rose and walked to the kitchen, eying what she was doing before asking: "Are there any knives?" He regretted it instantly, considering she may take it the wrong way.

Luna: She blinked, her hands ceasing her motions as she turned her head to look at him. "Erm..." she began clumsily, eyeing him with a small frown, "Yes, there are," she said slowly with a nod as one of her hands hovered over to one of the drawers in which cutlery lay. However, she stopped there and dropped her hand one drawer lower, where there were knives much larger and sharper, which she thought might have been of better use than every-day kitchen knives. She dragged it open and gestured towards it. "Take your pick, I guess," she said and stepped away, her eyes lingering on him, still.

Loki: Her odd looks were nothing unexpected. "Defense," he explained, as he looked down to the knives that she showed him. They were slightly bulkier than the daggers he often used for battle, with a larger handle than he would be used to, but it would suffice. He grabbed the thinnest one he could find and then weighed it in his hand, seeing that it was, indeed, heavier, but as he searched, he concluded that they were all slightly different from what he was used to using. It mattered not, as he was skilled enough in throwing, the weight should not matter so heavily. "And hunting," he added after he gathered a few of them and stored them away. "If it is necessary..."

Luna: Hunting? The thought was quickly pushed aside when she saw the knives that he chose disappear from his hands, as if a skilled illusionist who stored them within his pockets. She looked at him curiously, assuming that he accomplished that with magic, but she did not ask. Where could they have gone otherwise? she asked herself, instead. Handy, that was... But she would not ask him for help of such sort, not until she was certain that she could not haul her own things anymore - considering that she packed rather lightly, her plea might as well never come. 

"I'm unsure there will be need for that, but I guess, if you want to be prepared for just about anything..." she said with a shrug. Hunting... Where in god's name was all of this going? "Which is a good thing, though."

Loki: He nodded in agreement, supposing hunting was a rare occurrence in a society where all food came packaged in plastic and paper. "Mostly defense, then," he muttered, knowing that, if anything, knives would be useful. "As you are young, and you are a woman... I am sure there is a certain amount of dangers that are expected in the outside world," he explained quickly as he pushed the drawer back in to the counter and stepped aside.

Luna: It was almost laughable, the situation in which she had other people to fear, and yet, she also had to fear the man who told her he would protect her... Which left her to worry about nearly everything and everybody. She looked at him with a wry smile. "Ah, those will not be a problem. I have you."

Loki: He smirked. "Ah yes, then I am the only one who has a say in who should injure you. And I should make sure of that," he muttered, crossing his arms. No, he was the only one who would have a say in her fate. As long as he can get her through this safely so she might see her brother... If everything goes smoothly and he can, in the end, escape, that is.

Luna: Her brows furrowed slightly as she subconsciously mimicked his actions and crossed her arms across her chest. He says a say in who _should_ injure her? "Do we share the same opinion here? That nobody should injure me? Because that would work optimally for me," she said. And if he decides that he should be the only one to harm her? Her gaze hardened slightly as it focused on him intently.

Loki: He considered her question for a moment, seeing as how that question could be taken different ways. "I assure you, no one shall harm you," he replied, his expression attempting to be honest. "I am hoping you live through this. It should not be so difficult..."

Luna: She looked at him, slightly dumbfounded for a few brief seconds. Then she averted her gaze to the ground and shook her head helplessly. For a moment, she believed that he would keep her unscathed, and she was now scolding herself for ever doing so. He spoke as if it was not at all up to him if she lived or not, though she knew that even without his powers, Loki would be very, very difficult to take down - if he truly wished to, he could truly keep her safe. But there was that glaring question of what he even planned to do with her. She could not be sure.

"Not if you – well, we – try," she corrected herself. It would do her well if she were to stay out of any and all sorts of trouble, simply to make it easier for the both of them. She did so wish to live through this, she did...

Loki: He frowned, knowing that he had already made that clear... He would only harm her if she betrayed him. And by the way things were going, he doubted he would have to make such a choice. She seemed very willing to see this through and live, and she was hardly reluctant. The less blood that is on his hands, the better. As he had already stated, he simply did not _want_ to hurt her. And that was enough. He only nodded in response, pressing his lips together.

Luna: After she had checked her bag once more, she zipped it up and securely closed it, leaving it atop the countertop to grab after the entire thing was set in motion. She looked at him inquisitively for a moment, seeing that he had nothing on him, nor anywhere that she could see, so she thought it would be safe to assume that he had used magic to handle all of his necessities. She found herself wishing she was able to do the same thing, for it was one of the most convenient uses for magic she could presently think of. "I think it would be safe for us to leave quite soon."

Loki: He nodded, looking at her expectantly, knowing that it was she who would know what to do when it came to this point. The power had to go off, the mechanisms had to be toyed with, and then it would truly begin...

Luna: She threw a quick, but thorough glance out the window, seeing that the sun disappeared, and the twinkling lights of distant windows and the yellow glows of street lamps came to replace it. All was quiet, and the night's sky was riddled with clouds that blocked any and all light that might have shone from the stars - it was as if the outside was adjusting so very naturally to what they were about to do, wishing to aid them in their concealment. She approached her laptop, then looked at Loki.

"When I am done with this, destroy it," she said, though she knew that it would have to be destroyed in a way that would not be too conspicuous - it should not bear damage that looked entirely intentional. "And, erm... Do stay in my sight, alright?" she added as an afterthought as her fingers began padding their way softly across the laptop's thin keyboard while on their way to accessing that which she needed. Several more minutes and she would be able to let him shift; it was imperative while they left the general area of the house - his changed form would hopefully not alarm the organization. Once they were a little further away from both the house and others' eyes, he could drop the facade, if it so hurt him...

Loki: He nodded, watching her carefully upon the laptop, always cautious of what she was doing, though he knew he would hardly be able decipher it, even if she was betraying him. He supposed that if he had any other chance to take over Midgard, he would first attempt to learn the ways of their technologies. It was becoming quite a weakness, and though he had every intention of leaving the realm, if he had any chance to go back and do everything once again, he would know better. And, most likely, he would succeed. It was tempting, he had to admit, but he doubted the Midgardians would be so easily dominated even after he defeated them. So very stubborn, they were.

All the while, he remained concentrated on changing his form. He attempted to hone the magic he had used before and somehow keep enough strength for it to last as long as he required it to. He gripped it with all the strain he had before, his abdomen rebelling and his knees shaking as they tried to keep him standing. Eventually, his hair turned blond, starting from the roots to the ends, though his eyes were being stubborn, refusing to be changed from the emerald green that they were. The pain in his midriff was constant, but he refused to pay attention to it, even as he shook from the mere strength of it until he was entirely changed. The only other reminiscent feature of his usual form was the fact he was much thinner than Baldur ever had been. Not that Luna would understand, much less catch on, but he did need to assume a type of - what word would be best? - template for his form.

Luna: She was nearing the moment she would sever all illumination and all that relied on electricity from its source; her breathing purposefully got slower as she tried to soothe the anxious pecking in the pit of her stomach, as well as her muscles, which were still rather sore from her encounter with magic. She was mere several clicks away from commencing the entire ordeal. She looked about the kitchen and finally, she turned her head to look at Loki. However, in his stead stood a person almost entirely different from what she was expecting - slightly shorter and blond-haired; he managed to retain his own eyes, which were the only thing she recognized successfully. It was beyond strange to see what she knew as his eyes set in someone else's facial features. She blinked several times in disbelief, taking some time to take his new appearance in as her eyebrows rose.

"Damn..." she murmured in earnest awe. It took a closer, longer look to realize that he was suppressing his trembling. She tried to suppress her wonder, the impossibly odd feeling she had as she spoke to this nearly new person. "Whenever you're ready," she said, her eyes shadowing with worry as she wondered whether he would endure it sufficiently, if this would all go at all the way the two of them planned. Oh, how easily it could backfire...

Loki: He bit his lip, knowing that she noticed the fact his knees felt like they were going to give out within a moment's notice. It was embarrassing, but he knew he would have to get over that, considering she was going to be around him for whenever he changed, and whenever he absolutely had to employ magic. The pain, on the bright side, was nowhere near the amount he felt when he first began experimenting with his changing of form. "Whenever you are," he replied quietly, trying to retain some sort of dignity... but who was he fooling? "Preferably quickly... the faster we are out of here, the faster I can change back, yes?" he added, letting the words jumble out of him.

Luna: She nodded, hardly blinking as she tried to grow accustomed to all the changes he brought upon his physique; she shook herself out of it, however, as he looked as if he wished to get it over with as quickly as possible. It appeared to Luna that there would be plenty of time for her to gaze upon his shapeshifting.

"Indeed. Alright... Now." Before her word was entirely out, her fingers landed upon the buttons, combining them into the string necessary to cause blackness to cover the entire neighborhood. All the lights disappeared instantaneously, leaving them in pitch dark, and as she correctly assumed, she was disoriented for several moments before her eyes grew accustomed to it and her sense of direction kick-started into functioning. Another look out of the window told her that so far, all was well - there was absolutely nothing that she could see - it was as if everything that was outside of the house disappeared. A thought occurred to her that Loki might, in fact, reenact the scene the two had played out earlier, though this time with different results... She shuddered.

Loki: When the lights went out, his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, as it seemed to be something he grew accustomed to while he was in the Void. He walked quickly over to the laptop she had asked him to destroy, letting it drop to his foot, only for him to kick it so it landed against the closest wall, causing a loud _crash_ to resonate throughout the house. He looked over to Luna and then the door, wishing to follow her rather than the other way around as a sort of reassurance that she would not back out of the plan last minute.

Luna: She cringed at the loud noise as she picked up her bag and, squinting, made her way through the door, hoping not to knock into anything or inadvertently spoil something they had purposely already spoiled. She headed out the door, a fraction of her hoping that his escape might still be noticed, even though at this point her own freedom depended on it in various ways... Still, she could not help but hope that this all might be stopped as soon as possible, so that she would not have to live through anything Loki meant for her to. Her pace was as quick as she could set it without full-blown running, though she felt so, so very unsure of her steps, caused by the seemingly impenetrable darkness that made her feel as if she could step on or in just about anything.

Loki: He followed her closely behind, making sure she went quickly as he picked up his pace, as well, attempting to watch her, but at the same time speed things up. He tried to keep his pain in the back of his mind as he was only focused on getting out of S.H.I.E.L.D's reach, and then things would be somewhat more relaxed. At least, that was what he fervently hoped. He still had the feeling that Luna was hoping for all of this to fail, no matter the consequences and no matter what measures she had went through in order to make this happen. It was understandable, but he could not risk it. He almost regretted not killing her whenever he felt such feelings, but now that they were successfully out of the house, he felt slightly more relieved.

He had more control now, considering there were not strange devices watching every move he did, he was not caged like an animal, and he had a bit more space in the outdoors. He watched over where Luna was going, making sure she wasn't running into tree stumps or branches. It would be a shame for her to be injured within the first few minutes of their running, only proving how vulnerable mortals were. How they lived as long as they did was beyond him.

Luna: She was glad that the houses in the neighborhood were not so closely set together, as there would be much commotion over the sudden black out, and more people would not go well for anyone included. She felt the pressing, imposing presence of Loki behind her and she instinctively quickened her step, now very close to running, clutching her bag to her safely. Her heartbeat was quickening to match her pace.

She continued to put more and more distance between them and the house in the direction they had previously arranged, through the almost silent night in which their footsteps - or at least hers - made slightly more noise than they were supposed to. The leaves crunched, the twigs broke as they distanced themselves further away from the road, for it would be much more likely for them to be noticed there than anywhere else.

Loki: Her shuffling through the leaves was quite disgruntling, but he doubted it would matter much, as the further from the house they were, the less likely S.H.I.E.L.D. would find them, which was all that truly mattered. He was grateful the moon was not out, considering that would give any neighbor or any other person who decided to go for a stroll at this time of night a way to see them. The timing was almost perfect in that way.

Luna: The streets and the roads would be a much quicker way to reach the closest town, yet if they wished to keep their safety, they would have to be just a little bit slower. They moved on and on, crossing the area as swiftly as they could; the night time was moving with them, the air crisp and rather refreshing on her overly working lungs, the breeze tangling into her hair and bringing cool relief to her warmth.

After a long, tiring while, when Luna thought they might be approaching the nearest town, she began slowing her pace down, raising her hand to slow Loki down, as well. It would not do them good to enter a slightly more populated area disheveled or appearing rather exhausted. Anything to lessen the suspicion. Strangely, she had hardly any bothersome thoughts invading her mind, all of her senses tuned to her surroundings. She was grateful, and she embraced it while it lasted.

Loki: He slowed his pace as she did, knowing she could very well be becoming fatigued. He thought they were nearing a town, if the lightness in her step was anything by which to judge. She seemed almost entirely sure of where she was going, and that gave him hope, considering he hadn't a clue where they were – only the fact they were close to the city he had attempted to take over and ended up destroying months back. He ran his hand through his disheveled hair, attempting to calm himself down as the pain began to increase the more they slowed down. "Do you suppose I can change back?" he asked after the longest moments of silence passed between them.

Luna: She slowed her step enough to fall in next to him, rather than in front of him, and she craned her neck to look up at him; she could not get used to this new sight, as she was expecting to see his lean, angular face and his black hair, but was instead greeted by blond, softer features. The only thing she was familiar with was his gaze and his green eyes...

"I think so, but for a little bit, only." She nodded, keeping her pace with his, though his strides were much longer than her own were. Her eyes had long since accustomed to the dark, which she liked quite a lot, as it made her feet surer in their steps, and she had a stronger sense of orientation now.

Loki: He nodded, quite relieved as to the fact he could abandon his pain that was ever-growing. He immediately changed back into his former state, glad to have such a relief, the muscles in his abdomen relaxing as he resumed his more natural form. He sighed, his steps lighter as he felt less burdened. "How close are we?" he thought to ask.

Luna: "Another half an hour, I'd say," she said after roughly estimating. "I think it would be better if we arrived while there are as few people on the streets as possible," she added as an afterthought. The next time she glanced at him, he shifted back, and she wondered if she would ever get used to such changes of his... They were almost as odd and as difficult to handle as the shifts in his behavior. She looked at him out the corners of her eyes, more so than she looked at the ground in front of herself.

They've done it, so far. And she could not go back. Not anymore. She ceased looking at him and fixed her gaze firmly on the ground.

Loki: He was nearly floating, he could feel it. He was pleased with what he has done, and there was no use in trying to speak against it. The girl could not go back now, considering if she did, she would most likely be caught, and held for questioning, and they would be hunting for him. He nodded. "Indeed," he agreed without much thought. He did not want to face other people, anyway, though he knew he would have to eventually.

Luna: They would reach the city soon, she knew - however, those would only be the outskirts of it, not the center, itself, in which they could blend in more easily and hopefully go less noticed. She had to admit that she was quite pleased with how quickly they managed to make their way from one place to another, especially without any complications that she could see; although, she could not help but feel paranoid... It should not be this easy. She could almost feel the unsettling good mood radiating from the man towering as he walked by her side... How pleased he must be, she thought to herself, stealing a glance his way.

Loki: He looked over to her periodically, seeing that she was consistently looking his way, quite possibly taking note of how much lighter he felt. It was comical, he knew, as she would not be able to share his pleasure derived from his freedom, but she should know he was quite grateful that she was helping him...

Luna: "How is the pain?" she asked after a while, looking up to the sky in an attempt to judge how much longer until the sun would begin to rise. If her legs and most of her body were not tired - what from the magic, the stress and the actual physical effort - she would not have felt them. She knew she could not be picky anymore, under such circumstances, so she would simply have to handle it as best she could.

Loki: He gave a shrug in response. "It matters very little," he replied quietly. "No more than I can handle." She, however, looked very fatigued and it was noticeable with her stride. She did, after all, summon magic on her own, and he knew they had to rest as soon as possible.


	19. Chapter 19

Luna: Luna shut and locked the door to the dingy hotel room the two of them had rented for the several hours they were to be there. She watched Loki almost instantly drop his conjured appearance and replace it with his usual one as she dropped her bag on one of the chairs available in the room. It did not take them very long to leave the sparse nature they tread through and reach the city, Loki assuming his false looks in time no less than proper, though he has kept silent and let Luna handle absolutely every single necessary interaction with others of her kind. She, herself, did not speak more than necessary, the fatigue slowly drawing haziness on her thoughts, making her crave anything she could lay down upon and rest for a while.

The hotel room was not at all something she would enjoy, let alone Loki, but they needed a place to rest for a few hours before they moved on. It was rather inconspicuous, the place, which gave Luna some sort of safety.  
“Better than nothing, I guess...” she murmured quietly as she dropped onto one of the two beds in the room. She was almost tired enough not to care that she was now sleeping in the same room as he was; however, it still managed to put an amount of discomfort and unease in her… After everything that happened, she would be a fool to trust him even now. However, the exhaustion was almost welcoming, as it made such feelings within her fainter.

Loki: He laid upon the bed, attempting to relax and ease the strain his muscles had. He was for once quite fatigued, despite his light nature brought about by the success of their escape. He considered the fact he might actually rest that night, as he knew he needed it, and she might be uncomfortable by the fact he stayed up the majority of the night. He nestled into the less than comfortable bed, facing away from her, the sheets smelling of mildew and other strange chemical scents that went along with Midgardian fabrics, he supposed. He looked over to her but once after he was satisfied with his position. “Good night,” he muttered before turning back over and shutting his eyes, in an attempt to fully rest.

Luna: “Good night…” she murmured in return, even though the night was growing lighter and lighter as the day approached, but she could not care less. She curled up into a tight ball beneath the thin blanket she had atop of herself and kept her eyes on his back until she could not hold them open anymore. She could only hope that he would not in any way compromise her while she was asleep… A brief thought flitted across her mind – would it always be this damned tiring? Such pressure, such fleeing, such a hurried, rushed pace, it was bound to take a massive toll on her, the more time passed by. A sigh she was unaware of escaped her as she snuggled deeper into the blanket. They could not stay here, or anywhere, for far too long, lest they draw too much attention to themselves. No, it would be best if they were simple passers by…

Loki: He settled eventually into a comfortable unconsciousness, unmarked by nightmares or anything that had kept him awake for nearly a week straight. Everything was going to go by well, he assured himself repeatedly, and if they don’t, then there are a few who shall pay for it dearly. He was _not_ weak. Wasn't that what he was trying to prove by defying a curse? By escaping, regardless of the possible consequences? Everything would end well for him for once. As long as he had control over what happened, as long as he had his sanity intact… But he should not assume too much. If he assumed everything would bode well, things would start to turn over and he would be vulnerable once more. He had to remain cautious and alert… But unconsciousness was constantly wearing him down. He fell asleep rather quickly that night.

* * *

Luna: Luna awoke three hours later - give or take several minutes - and for a single moment thought that she was in her own bed, in the house that she slowly recalled she abandoned several hours prior. She suppressed a groan that wished to escape her the moment she understood more clearly where she was, with whom she was, and what she was in the middle of. Her face buried itself in the pillow; as far as she was concerned, he could go on without her and just let her stay here for the rest of her time.

The early morning light was predictable and dull for the time of year, seemingly never ending clouds streaking the sky heavily, bearing untrustworthy promises of rain later on. Glancing over at Loki's form, unsure if he was still asleep, or if he had slept at all, she rose, frowning when the bed creaked - if he truly was asleep, she would not want to wake him up. Even though the both of them ran for most of the previous night, he had done so under much more pain than she did, and she thought he really could use some rest. On as quiet footsteps as she could make them, she grabbed some clothes from her bag and went to use the not-so-clean bathroom. She knew that a hot shower would ease her muscles and the cleanliness make her feel lighter and improve her mood at least somewhat during the day. She did get some rest, however, enough to begin thinking, already, of what they were to do next. S.H.I.E.L.D. supposedly has not caught up with them yet, but that should hardly be a reason for encouragement - at any point, the two of them could be captured and taken away, each to their respective prison. There was still not enough of distance between them, something she knew that Loki would want to correct as soon as possible.

Loki: Loki awoke at the sound of what sounded like water coursing through pipes resounding throughout the entirety of the room. He saw the bright, shining light of the morning – it was impossible to do otherwise, as it was glaring directly upon his eyelids, reflecting off of the stark, white walls. How he despised mornings... He hated the feeling of having to awaken from a peaceful slumber – a rare occurrence in his life. He stretched his limbs, guessing by the sound of water that the girl was taking a shower, and he had the slightest bit of trust to know that she, too, had slept that night and not made her plans to escape. He would still have to be cautious, as it was the first time he had taken his attention away from her, but at the same time, she was obviously fatigued. It would only make sense that she slept, too.

He conjured a new shirt and replaced the one he had been wearing for the past few days, feeling quite dirty, himself, after he had run through the woods. Rising from the bed, he sprawled out his limbs to stretch, feeling greatly refreshed and prepared to continue making as much distance away from the house they had left as possible. He laid back onto the bed, relaxing upon it and waiting somewhat patiently for her to finish bathing.

Luna: Nearly twenty minutes later did she emerge, rubbing a towel along her hair, as she had to get it as dry as possible before they left - the branches of the bare trees outside swung slightly in the wind, and she did not wish to get sick in the middle of it all - and things like hair driers were a luxury she could not afford momentarily. So, she relentlessly worked at drying her dark hair, feeling lighter on her feet, as she correctly assumed, feeling just a hair more prepared for the upcoming day.

An idea came to her that the optimal thing for them to do would be to simply take a bus to the next city, instead of walking. As far as she could remember, the distance between the two was just slightly too large for them to cross by foot quickly and effectively. She guessed that Loki would not find travelling in such a way favorable, but it would have to be so, unless he wished to spend several hours under his guise, rather than the two that it would take to go by bus. She looked at him as he stretched about the bed. "Have you slept?" she asked with no prior greeting.

Loki: He nodded. "Indeed, I have," he replied simply, giving a small, satisfied smirk. "And you?" he asked, though he truly did not care. As long as she was ready to continue traveling as fast and far as possible would it truly matter.

Luna: "I have, yes. It'll have to do for now." She shrugged and went over to stand by the heater that kept the room warm and relatively protected from the cold outside. Perhaps it would dry her hair faster. "If you'd like to do anything while we're still here, do it now, because I think I figured out what to do next," she added.

Loki: He arched his brow, knowing there was hardly anything, besides perhaps bathing himself, that he wished to do, but now he was curious. So, the girl had been planning. That pleased him, as well, for it may mean they would be gaining distance faster. "I shall..." he said, rising from the bed, "But before I do, what, exactly, have you figured out?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Luna: She crossed her arms on her chest as she leaned closer to the heater, her body soaking up its warmth to preserve it if the wind decided to be especially fierce today.  
"The nearest city is much too far for us to go by foot. Perhaps in different circumstances, the trip would be easier, but this way, with your curse and with what's at our heels, I think it's best if we hurry things up a little," she began explaining. "We will be taking the bus to the next city, which, if my estimation is correct, should take about two hours, which I think would be better for the both of us, especially because of the fact that otherwise, you would have to maintain the form for much, much longer," she added the last part in a bit of a hurry, in case he wished to speak over her and protest. If that did not convince him enough, she was unsure what would. Granted, she was willing to bet he would still hate every second of it, but it was the best way.

Loki: A bus? He repeated in his head, knowing that it was one of those loud, noisy, cramped vehicles that often smelt of even more chemicals. He found a good bit of distaste for vehicles, finding them ugly and obnoxious. The last thing he wanted was to spend two hours upon one surrounded by even more foul-smelling mortals who would stare and go about their silly, pointless business. He did not want to, but if she thought it would be best and shortest, then he supposed there was no way around it. "We could not steal a vehicle... a car? That is not simpler...?" he asked, frowning slightly.

Luna: "If you want to leave traces scattered behind us for S.H.I.E.L.D. to follow, be my guest," she shrugged. She did muse upon the possibility that perhaps someone would remember them while they were purchasing the tickets, but the chances were rather slim; they were not acquiring them in any means that would leave a trace behind, either, so Luna thought that the option was safer than any other she thought of. Stealing a vehicle also crossed her mind, yet even with all the thefts that occur daily, they are documented; anything that can lead in any way to the two of them, however vaguely and indirectly was far too risky for her. She would play it safe until her options lessened and lessened - which she grimly thought they would - until she could no more. "I would have liked that better, as well, but I don't think it'd be too clever."

Loki: He nodded and gave a heavy sigh. "Very well, then," he replied, knowing this would no longer be enjoyable for him. He could find it amusing – watching mortals without them knowing who was sitting among them, utterly unaware of the fact that they were in the presence of the same man who they hated, as he suspected. But then, he would also have to maintain his form continuously without ceasing... Such needless complications, though he supposed it shouldn't have been surprising.

He opened the door to the bathing chamber and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He undressed and quickly stepped into the tub, turning the water to cold, cleansing his body from all of the dirt that had collected. He had always been quite cleanly; he hated the feeling of dirt and grime on him, especially when it came to battle, thus giving him reason to use daggers and daggers, placing a mediator between him and the dying body. He was at times taunted for it, but ultimately, he was the one who could kill the fastest and most effectively.

Luna: She let out a small sigh of relief when he acquiesced and then left to prepare himself for the day that she knew neither of them would favor much at all. She was worried that it might have taken her longer to convince him, or that ultimately, he would have denied and gave her no say in it, but she was so very glad that he was so quick to comply. She would take such moments happily and gratefully whenever they came.

She stood by the window of the room as she waited for him, looking out at the increasingly higher number of people that went to and fro, all of them constantly rushing.. They would fit right in, she thought. She wished that she could make some firmer, stabler plans, but everything depended on everything else, to the point where her plans were more of thinking on her feet as they went. There were simply far too many things that could go wrong with any plans they made that she simply decided to give up for the time being. She did wonder where S.H.I.E.L.D. was momentarily - she assumed that, by now, they'd found nothing but an empty house.. Her lips pressed tightly together as she looked down at the ground, turning away from the window and continuing to wait.

Loki: He stepped out of the shower after a few minutes; as he dried himself off, he looked into the mirror, seeing that a stranger looked back... one who had longer hair and sunken eyes with purple bruises underneath them, his cheeks sallow and shoulders gaunt... He looked like he had died and come back to life. It was no wonder Luna was so quick to fear him. He frowned and used his fingers to comb his hair back in an attempt for it not to fall into his face. He needed it cut, he mused... He usually relied upon Frigga to do such a thing, but considering he had not seen her, he had thought less of it. And now he had no one who would care enough to do such a trivial thing. For one such as himself who had often prided himself upon his looks, he was certainly letting himself go. When he was finished dressing himself, he quickly stepped out, looking pointedly to the door. "Shall we, my lady?" he asked, gesturing to the door.

Luna: Her head turned quickly to him once the noise of the door opening came suddenly and quickly. He wasted no time, she thought to herself, which was good, when one truly wished to save themselves... She took her bag and placed it over her shoulder, giving him a nod. "Back to 'my lady', hmm?" she asked noncommittally. He so quickly snapped between "petty mortal" and "my lady" that one would think different people were involved in the entire ordeal.

Loki: He smirked at her observation. "You are my lady, no?" he asked, knowing that that in itself was a lie. She would hardly ever admit to being lower than he, much less granting him some sort of ownership over her fate, as what the formality of "my lady" would imply to her. He only looked at her, his eyes glistening with amusement, knowing she would downright reject it, but regardless, it was only a jest.

Luna: She eyed him curiously, a strange smile twisting her lips, and then she could not help but let out a laugh. She could hardly believe what he was saying, but it certainly amused her - it was most definitely a joke, as he would not be caught dead uttering such words in any manner more serious, especially to someone like her. The situation was almost comical, as it did not go at all with what they were going through; it made things seem closer to normal than they ever had. "As you wish," she said with a bow of her head as the odd smile continued playing on her lips.

She walked out, adjusting her bag on her shoulder more comfortable, twirling the key to the uncomfortable room between her fingers. She turned her head to look at him, as always eager to see any bits of magic she could; her eyes were expectant as she was so very curious to see... How surreal it all was, she thought.

Loki: Before he even neared the exit of the room, he shut his eyes and concentrated upon shifting once more, back to the form he so hated to be in, the familiar sensation of the straining already beginning to pull at his abdomen. He opened his eyes and looked somewhat warily to her so curiously watching his shift before stepping out, shutting the door behind him and then stepping aside to allow her to lock it.

Luna: She wondered just how it felt - apart from his obvious pain - to change one's shape in such a way, as she watched his entire facial structure change and mold into a different shape, his entire frame lessening in height and his hair growing shades upon shades lighter... She ceased her fascinated gaze when he opened his eyes and met hers - they were very much so the same ones she knew perhaps even slightly better than she would have liked. It was so very odd, as if they did not belong in such a face. Nevertheless, she locked the door and was on her way down, wishing that he would walk by her side more often than behind her, as it made her feel rather unprotected, as if she constantly had to guard her own back. She returned the key to the somber, thinning, balding man behind the receptionist's desk. She thought how he would look more natural working in a morgue than anywhere else... She bid him a quiet goodbye before stepping out to the colder street, starting to follow one which she knew led to the bus station. Fortunately, the people were not many at this hour, as most were already at work, which did not leave plenty of them to roam the streets.

Loki: He followed her, watching for wherever they would take this "bus" and when it would come. He stayed silent behind her, following her every move as there were enough people on the streets to bother him, but not as many as he remembered within the city of New York... Still, he grimaced whenever people would happen to rub by his shoulder in order to get by, leaving an annoying feeling on his arm; it was as though they seemed to always be in such a hurry that they could not pay any mind to him. He tried his best to ignore it, knowing it would be silly of him to react, as no one else seemed to.

Luna: She followed a path drawn in her mind. She knew that sitting for longer than several seconds in a vehicle such as a bus, amid humans, would leave Loki in a very foul mood, and she would be the only one he'd be able to take it out on. How she wished that she did not have to endure his wry moods... It almost made her want to make him content at the very least, simply because he would be much easier to handle and be around. She glanced at him every several minutes, each time a surprise due to his new looks... She fell in with the rhythm of the clicking heels and heavy footsteps, blending in rather well, which she was grateful for - anything to avoid attention at this point. Her gaze changed between in front of her, to the increasingly murky clouds, to him, switching time and time again until they reached the bus stop. It made Luna's stomach slightly queasy, as she disliked so very much the disgusting scents that surrounded the place and the buses, themselves.

Loki: He returned the girl's glance whenever he could see in his peripheral vision that she threw one his way. He held back his disgusted grimace as the smell of chemical fumes filled his nostrils when he first saw the large vehicles. He pressed his lips together even more tightly in distaste, as he knew those were what he was going to be sitting within in the next several minutes. He had to convince himself over and over that this was what was best, that this would be better than having more physical exertion on top of the magic that did so pain him, but even that wouldn't stop him from hating every moment of it.

Luna: "Wait for me outside, alright?" she said when they approached the building in which she was to buy tickets. Perhaps he'd mind leaving her alone for any period of time, but she didn't care very much. It appeared as if Loki would be leaving any and all interaction to her, but it was not something that she minded. However, she did think that perhaps, if he were to purchase several things, it might be wiser - she could not change her appearance and people might just remember her and thus make a trace for S.H.I.E.L.D. to follow. Nevertheless, the majority of things were up to her - where to go, how to get there, when, how long to stay... It made it all the more easier to blame her, should anything go wrong, she thought as she was exchanging the money for two tickets.

Loki: He was apprehensive to allow her to go into the building that she seemed to be required to go in to board the buses, knowing that if she were to make a move to escape, this would be the time. He stayed by the clear windows where she left him and watched cautiously as she got into a line and stood to wait and purchase what looked to be two pieces of paper. He would never understand the human need for complicated order, he decided, but kept his eyes upon her, attempting to watch her as inconspicuously as possible. He received a few looks from passing mortals, but there were no double-takes, as he knew his guise was perfect. There was no way they could possibly recognize him. He tried to stand as casually as possible, mimicking a position that another man who looked to be waiting for a bus seemed to be in, his hip leaning to the side, his arms crossed across his chest, shoulders slightly slouched.

Luna: She exited after several minutes, speaking to people no more than the absolute necessary; for a brief moment, she was looking for the familiar dark head before she realized that that is not what she should be searching for. He was quite near the entrance, his eyes following her cautiously - but she would not run away. She had to admit that his disguise was almost immaculate - save for his eyes, but those would not make much difference to those who did not know what they looked like - and his mimicking of other human beings much the same. She handed him his ticket.  
"The bus should be leaving in 10 minutes, so we should really get going. Just give that to the driver when you enter," she instructed, finding it strangely amusing that she should explain such matters to him that were so very normal to her. She trusted that he would work things out for himself if he didn't have her.

Loki: He looked down to the small slip of paper curiously and then back up to her before tucking it away into his physical pocket, giving her a brief nod in understanding. "Very well..." he replied, still attempting to blend in as much as possible as he looked around him. Somehow, when Luna was with him, did he not receive so very many looks. He supposed that was a good thing.

Luna: She led the way around the station, attempting to locate the bus they were to take. Finally, and with some relief, she found it - it was not as terrible as it could have been, though the smell still nauseated her. She was glad that they were to spend only two hours in it, and not more. She went in front of Loki, no matter how uneasy that made her, but she made an example of what he should do upon entering the bus, knowing that it'd be easier for him to simply mimic what she did. Once she'd given in her ticket, she found the two of them seats and promptly situated herself by the window. She would have found it all so very interesting, watching him amongst her kind, if it did not put him in such a horrible mood that _she_ would have to endure along with him.

Loki: He entered the narrow space of the bus, seeing that the seats were very close together and incredibly compact. The area of the bus smelled disgusting, but the smell of the humans was rancid. He could not understand how any of them could stand such close spaces. When she sat down, he sat stiffly besides her, knowing that not only would he have to keep his guise in the most painful way possible, but he would have to seat himself amongst these creatures not but two feet away from him and her...

Luna: She looked over to his rigid form and then murmured just loud enough for him and only him to hear. "I know that you're in pain, but try to relax just a little bit more, unless you want to draw looks from people who are going to wonder just what is wrong with you," she advised, enjoying the fact that she could fit more or less comfortably just about anywhere, courtesy of her height.

Loki: He nodded, biting his lip as he attempted to ease his muscles into a more relaxed position, his head leaning back and looking at the patterned ceiling. He did not want strange looks, no matter how accustomed he was to them. He gave an audible sigh, as his entire body could at least feign the look of content as long as his hand kept firm grip of the armrest.

Luna: The bus began to vibrate and a rumble of the engine was heard, which made Luna shift her gaze back out of the window. It was just about the only thing helping her with her headaches and her nausea. Two hours' ride would not do as much damage to her as five or six would, but yet again did she find herself wishing that she could just walk everywhere, or use some other way of getting around.

She was unsure how to spend the two hours with him - silence was always an available option, but she thought that, perhaps, he could use some distracting from the pain, if only to make him seem more normal to the people around them. She rarely rode the bus, especially with someone, so she was not very familiar with ways of entertaining someone else besides herself in such situations.

Loki: He tried to distract himself by watching the other people who surrounded him, from reading books to being hooked into by their ears to a sort of black box-like device that lit up when it was touched. They seemed to be listening to it, and occasionally, they would push a button or even simply touch the screen. He was familiar with such devices as the touchscreen, as he had seen it while he was staying in S.H.I.E.L.D's custody, but never so casually with lesser humans.

He lightly nudged her arm. "What is that?" he asked quietly, eyeing the man across from him who had one.

Luna: She was slightly surprised by his small nudge, but she quickly followed his gaze, which was settled upon a young-looking man. She wondered for a moment what he was referring to as she looked at the man before she realized.

"Ah.. That is a music player," she said just as quietly, though she doubted anyone but him would hear her, especially with the rather loud, monotonous sounds the entire vehicle was producing. "The things in their ears are wires through which the music is conducted from the actual player," she explained. Truly, it was one of her most favored ways of spending any length of time traveling. "People transfer files containing music from their computer to their music players, so that they could carry it around and listen to the music whenever they wish to."

Loki: He nodded, his brow furrowed as he considered such a concept. He supposed that went along with the vast amounts of music he had heard prior to this time on Midgard with S.H.I.E.L.D. and the other mortals... "I see," he replied with a nod, though he did not thoroughly understand it. Music upon Asgard was not a main interest to many, and it served as something playing within the background, rather than invading the attention of the people listening. It was not overly odd, he noted, as he knew it to be the case upon other realms. Such brief thoughts, but worth an amount of time in distraction. He leaned back and then followed where her gaze was originally, seeing nothing but many trees and many cars along the road.

Luna: "I had one, too, but I left it at the house," she replied with a shrug. "I didn't think I'd need it," she added, returning her gaze through the window, watching as everything went by increasingly fast; the daylight was not as bright as it should be, and the day, itself, seemed grayer than usual, as if dimmed. The sight brought a small frown to her brows, though she did not precisely mind it. Soon enough, as she assumed, there were thin slits of rain meeting the window of the bus. It was rather slow, the rain, and not very heavy, from what she could notice - its sounds were subdued by the sound of the bus engine, which she did not appreciate very much.

Loki: He looked about the exterior of the bus, his brow furrowing as his paranoia-addled mind began to comprehend the downpour. There was no thunder – simply the sounds of the bus's power source rumbling. He tried to ease himself from the very thought, trying even harder to ease himself back into the seat, trying to calm himself. It was working gradually for him as he shut his eyes and began to think of just what they should do once this part of their journey was finished.

That was, at least, until the unmistakable rumbling resounded outside, audible even above the engine. He tensed, his hands gripping tightly upon the arm rest as he tried to convince himself otherwise, but it was no use... If Thor was there then all of this was for naught. He would be wrenched away from any sort of freedom, and the girl would be left to continue living her life as if nothing had occurred, as if he had never even bothered...   
Luna: She did not think very much of the rain, not any further than the fact that it was enjoyable to watch - if she could not listen to it - and it was not until the thunder sounded that her mind associated... Her frown deepened and she turned her head to look at Loki, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes as she looked at his features. He worked quite hard at keeping them bland but there was such a strong, unmistakable tinge of terror underneath that she could not disregard, her doubts further increased by the way he grasped at his seat. She attempted to keep the tension out of her, as well, if only for the purpose of not frightening him even more. That mere fact was odd, as she could see such plain fear in him..

He truly _was_ scared, she thought concernedly, and to see such a creature in such a state tugged at her... She could not see the despair on him, but she was willing to bet that it had been riddling him, as well. She didn't know precisely what awaited him if he did not manage to make his escape in time, but whatever it was, it seemed to instill such things in him that she could hardly stand seeing. She found herself wishing almost as badly that it truly was not Thor waiting for the chance to grab him and haul him away. That thought was confusing to her, but she disregarded it, placing a gentle hand to his forearm.  
"Calm.." she said gently; he'd rip the seat apart if he continued to grip at it as such.

Loki: In his panic, he felt a familiar, warm hand gently rest upon his arm and his eyes shot to her. If he was to be taken away, he would do so with dignity, he thought as he tried to soothe his heart to get it to stop beating so harshly against his chest. He would not show fear in the face of Thor, nor would he in front of any other Asgardian. He should not be afraid of death, he knew... Death was what he wished for at one point, death was welcome and comforting in comparison to the tortures that awaited him after his fall. So why was he so reluctant to welcome it now? Why _did_ he want to continue living? Hasn't life wronged him enough?

He sighed heavily, but he could still not relax. He tried to ease his grip on the seat, feeling the fabric underneath one of his fingers begin to tear and he replaced it elsewhere, his hands curling into tight fists. He eyed her hand still on his forearm and shrugged it off, not wishing to be touched. Whatever gave her such an idea was beyond him.

Luna: "Hey," she said, turning in her seat to look at him more easily, "It isn't him..." she said as a form of admittedly useless reassurance to the both of them. She felt rather conflicted, as, one one hand, there was a newly found wish in her to help him calm down, and on the other hand, there was confusion that such a wish even existed within her.

Her lips drew down in small irritation that he was so stubborn as to refuse help that she thought she could give - besides, presently, she was giving it rather willingly, and though it irked her that she could not place why, it still did not stop her from trying. Hardheadedness was not something unfamiliar to her; she did not replace her hand, yet. She refused to look outside, willing herself to look at Loki and Loki alone, as she was worried about what she might see outside. It was not at all impossible for it to be Thor, as she truly did not expect this plan of theirs to be functional to such an extent, but...

Loki: He knew that she was only trying to calm him by saying such a thing. There was no possible way of her being certain that it _wasn't_ the thunderer. From his peripheral sight, he could see dim flashes of lightning coursing throughout the sky, none of which terribly close, but his mind reasoned that Heimdall could not have sent Thor so exactly near him, considering he was moving.

He believed there wasn't a time that would match the amount of disdain he had at the thought of seeing his false brother than he had right now. The oaf was threatening enough to him, considering at any time he could very well harm him beyond repair in a fit of rage.  
"You don't know that," he replied quickly, knowing he probably looked quite pathetic to the girl as he was "afraid of a little lightning", as the man of iron had once said.

Luna: "Of course I don't, but I also do not know that it _is_ him," she retorted, keeping harshness out of her voice; harshness which found its source in her constant irritation with his spite. It would not do if they argued, and perhaps if she made an effort, so might he, though she knew it was a far fetched thought. In truth, she did not know what to say to him. If it truly was Thor, then there would be no words that she could grant him that would offer him any amount of peace whatsoever. She shivered slightly, as whatever was awaiting him was enough to make _him_ scared, and _that_ was frightening enough on its own. At least he tried, she thought.

Loki: He sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pulling at him. He inhaled more deeply, trying to make his breathing even enough - if it truly was Thor, he would go as if it hardly affected him. How strong he had to be to keep a mask so he might go as a man, rather than a scared boy. "Yes, of course," he muttered through clenched teeth before closing his eyes as he listened to the thunder continue to rumble.

Luna: Each sound of the thunder made her heart beat just a little faster. They did not cross even half of that which they were supposed to, in order to reach their destination... She attempted to reason it out - even if it was Thor, he would not have stopped a bus full of humans to wrench Loki out - he would not want to cause any sort of riot or panic that would surely ensue if the people realized that Loki was in their midst. He would intervene if Loki was to harm anyone, she knew that for a fact, but in all probability, he would wait for them to leave the bus and get a little further away from the rest of the mortals, so that he would ensure that the entire ordeal went by as quietly as possible. S.H.I.E.L.D, first of all, would not want for it to be known that Loki escaped, so anyone who was to apprehend him would have to be rather discreet. Even if Thor waited, she hated the fact that they would have to spend a little less than two hours in such turmoil and upsetness. She replaced her hand upon his arm.


	20. Chapter 20

Loki: Why the girl insisted upon touching him was beyond his train of thought. She knew he didn't favor it, and if comfort was what she was attempting to bestow upon him, she was not very successful. Her warm hand permeated through the thin fabric of his shirt, leaving the warmth that she offered upon his very cold arm... which, in all reality... was not too awful. He knew in the back of his mind that if he was not leaving the moment this bus stopped and he got off, such touching was going to be a constant battle for her. He looked down to the hand and though his arm twitched, he did not wrench it out of her grasp, trying to find the bit of him that wished for comfort as much as she was wiling to give it to him.

Luna: A part of her felt bad for imposing on him such a thing that he disliked, over and over again, but that part clashed with the one which firmly believed that she could coax a better response from him, given time and patience. However, she merely believed, she did not know, and that inkling of worry sprouted in her, that she might be altogether wrong with her assumptions... After the tortures he endured, her touch would truly not be welcome, as he would link it straight to that which he loathed. But why did he get used to it like he did, previously? That had to be _something_ , she tried to convince herself that she was not simply putting even more torture upon the man ridden with such afflictions. She simply wanted to calm him for a little bit, as she doubted the bus would survive such stifled panic of his, as she was worried that it would simply explode at one point. Her touch was light; she would not hurt him.

Loki: She was going to make absolutely no attempt to remove her hand, he knew. He tried to ease his muscles enough to ensure her he was calm, but there was hardly such a thing. How cruelly such comfort as a woman's touch was ripped away from him. His arm twitched once more, naturally trying to find its way out of her grasp without him desiring it to. If it was any other time, he would have attempted to bed the woman in a way to convince her to let him by, but that part of him seemed to be engulfed with something else. The more he thought that his panic would only serve to embarrass himself further, the more he finally found some sort of ease. He swallowed heavily until his arm eased into her touch, his mind still conscientious of the aversion, but he fought through it. As much as he could, at least.

Luna: She turned her head and her body away from him, looking out of the window at the rain which now managed to evoke dread in her, which was something that she was unused to, as rain was something overall soothing to her. It was such a strange conflict, as something dear to her now showed a side of it that she hardly ever expected, making her feel different towards it, and she was sure that she did not like such a change. However, she kept her eyes on the outside, for it might help him with coping with his own tumult. Her hand, however, remained, and now her thumb trailed warmth back and forth, slowly, calmly. It was not Thor, she repeated in her head.

Loki: Why was she doing this? If it was Thor, she would be quicker to her own freedom, for she could easily return to her brother without being caught, and even if she was, because she was forced to help him, she would not have suffered such a severe consequence. So why? Why would she want to comfort him? Perhaps that was what she was thinking, despite what she was saying. Perhaps she was too scared to admit that she hoped it was Thor... He could not tell, as his level of observation was dulled by the fact his mind was worried of other things rather than the state of her being.

Luna: The minutes passed by excruciatingly slowly; each time she looked at the small, digital clock at the front of the bus, she would have to stifle a desire for a heavy sigh. It was excruciating - it was as if she was waiting for her own demise, and the mere fact that the two of them had to _wait_ in such horrible distress made it all the more worse. It was as if it was deliberately torturous, intentionally pressing and weighing down on them, wearing them thin with each minute passing. She was growing desperate to find a way to distract them, or simply try and ease the entire situation and give it some light, yet nothing came to mind.

Loki: He eventually decided that he did not care, such as he did not care for any of those who wished for his demise. After so long, it came to the point where he, too, believed that he should have it, and if she so desired him to be gone away from Midgard so fast, there was nothing that should stop him from believing so eventually, as well. The same thoughts plagued his mind was when he fell from the Asbru bridge, after all.

Luna: "I think it might be wiser if we stayed a little bit longer in the next hotel room we rent, when we arrive," she began quietly, attempting to pretend as if the storm outside was nonexistent. "That is, if it's a hotel room we're going for. Quite honestly, I was hoping you would suggest something when we arrived, what you think might be better." It was his escape, after all, she was merely the means through which he would carry it out. "We could use some rest."

Loki: He hardly listened to her carry on about something he was not entirely sure of. He glanced at her, trying to focus on her words as she went on speaking, believing he was immediately listening. He narrowed his eyes slightly until he finally figured it out. He only nodded passively when she finished.  
"Whatever you believe is best. I do not know your world as well. That is why you are here," he explained dully. He could care less where they rested. He wanted a bed, of course, as he did not wish to sleep upon the ground like an animal, but at that moment she could have stated that the Midgardian clouds were actually sheep and he would agree.

Luna: Her lips pressed together slightly when she realized that her attempts were already unsuccessful. "I thought it might be better to check with you... I'm no expert," she said dejectedly as she glanced at him from the corners of her eyes before looking back outside at the curtain of rain which heavily distorted the rest of the view, rendering it almost senseless to even try and look. She did wish to consult him on many things, still, even if he was not so savvy of her world, there were many other things she knew he simply knew better than she did. Besides, she did not want him to blame her and be angry with her and quite possibly even hurt her if something went wrong due to a miscalculation on her part.

Loki: He looked at her curiously, glad she wished to consult with him, but he did not know the ways of S.H.I.E.L.D in the same aspects as she did, nor did he know where else they could rest. "If we stay in one place for long, do you not think it would give your organization a longer time to seek us out?" he asked warily, as if he was worried of them specifically at that moment.

Luna: "It would, yes," she said slowly. "But the more you.." she lingered off, trying to find a word that would be rather neutral, in the case that someone was listening. "... strain yourself, the more slowly we'll be able to move from one place to another."

Loki: He nodded, sighing. It was hardly worth the risk, though. His straining could be sought through but them being caught would not. "I suppose we should stay for a day. But no longer. From a morning to night," he replied, not wishing to take the chances. "And if it is possible to stay out of sight until the next time we rest... then I shan't strain myself. But only if it is possible..."

Luna: "Perhaps less than a day, depending on how quickly you recover," she nodded. If he was overexerting himself in such a way, then that left very little time or energy for him to teach _her_ anything... Oh, yes, he would have to rest. His part of the bargain was still there, and she would not let go of it. "We'll see where we'll be going next, when we get there."

Loki: He nodded, liking the thought that they would manage to go further than exiting this bus. At least she was focusing on leaving, rather than the hopes that she would be rid of him so quickly. "Reasonable," he agreed quietly, trying ever so hard to convince himself that there was a possibility his escape could continue as planned.

Luna: The rain spilled down the windows continually, beating against it, urged by the wind that kept picking up to an alarming point. She gazed outside at the entire state, and she could hardly see the sky, only its shade, which was so very dark... In other circumstances, she would have enjoyed such weather, but now, she could only associate it to Thor, and if it were not for Loki, that would not be dreadful at all. She sighed, leaning her head against the back of the seat, waiting. The only positive thought that sat in her mind was that his arm was still secure beneath her hand, that he was once again getting used to it.

Loki: He only continued to sit stiffly, attempting to make his mind toy with the thoughts of anything else as he steered his attentions away from the storm that seemed to increase with intensity. He hardly noticed the fact his arm was still nestled under her hand, as his mind wandered off elsewhere.

He began by naming off everything he could see, from the little boy that giggled in the front of the bus to the old lady that seemed to gargle her own saliva to the back. He counted the number of seats upon the bus, how many times the man sitting directly in front of him cursed upon his phone, and how many times lightning struck throughout the sky. When it became too repetitive, he began recalling how many injuries he had sustained for a few weeks, granted to him by the green monster, and the amount of injuries that remained on his body still that had never healed as another passive way of continuing to keep his peace.

Luna: There was hardly anything in her mind that she could find that would not upset her even further at this point; there was barely anything she could think about that would bring her any sort of solace. Many worries plagued her, some which she could understand, some which she could not, and to even try and untangle the things she did not understand... She did not think it would be very wise, and so, she attempted to push such matters as far away from her as she could.

She worried that he would not be in any fit state to teach her magic any further than he already has, and that came very close to making her panic. She was not about to let him meddle with her life in such a way without getting at least something in return. And yet, she felt bad even asking him to teach her when he was so addled by pain... Her brow furrowed as she inevitably went back to the thought that she tried to dispel.

Why would she care for something like that? The bitter part of her mind asked.  
But he has endured so much physical torture already that she could not bring herself to bring him any more, it would not be right..  
Then again, what he was doing to her was not right, now, was it? the bitter part retorted.  
Oh, but he was merely trying to survive and not go back to where he would be miserable and tormented to no end, and even though she was unsure she could understand that first-hand, she knew that it was a drive powerful enough to lead him to drastic actions. And she happened to be on the short end of the stick. Nevertheless, matters were as they were, and the only possible thing she could control right now was how she acted towards the entire situation and how she decided to handle it. Her hand tightened subconsciously on his arm with this train of thought; she did not notice.

Loki: He was torn from such distracting thoughts when the hand upon his arm tightened, which he did not like at all. His eyes shot from glancing about the bus to her hand, as if just realizing it was there. He tried to pry her hand off of his arm using his own hand, unsure she realized what she was doing. When he successfully tore his arm away, he scooted over in his seat, as if that would stop her from reaching him. Why did she think any of that was a good idea? He looked at her in distaste before taking his attention back to his useless thoughts.

Luna: She blinked, the cold sensation upon her hand bringing her out of her thoughts. She looked at his hand shooing hers away from him, and she frowned, wondering just what brought the change on. He did not seem to mind too terribly up until this point. Did she do something? Did he? She sighed and looked over at him, who was hurriedly putting as much distance between them as the small space would allow.

"I'm still a tiny little mortal who can't hurt you, remember?" she said with a hint of rejection in her voice. Why she was purposefully belittling herself was beyond her.. With a sigh, she turned away from him and continued to look out the window. Her attempts at helping met nothing but failure, and that, alone, was discouraging to a degree. Why was she even trying anything... She shook her head.

Loki: He looked over to her, arching a brow, as she was entirely unaware of what she did. She sounded as though she was disappointed. Why she would be disappointed was a question he asked himself repeatedly. It's not as if his skin was at all pleasing. Why would it be when she was so very warm? He huffed and continued to turn away from her, resting his head upon his hand as his elbow settled on the arm rest. His other arm draped over his lap as he attempted to unconsciously keep it away from her. Why, he was uncertain. Why her hand tightened around his arm noticeably made him uncertain, as well. He pressed his lips together, not about to answer her comment, nor would he answer his own thoughts.

Luna: Whenever he distanced himself from her in such a way, it made her feel rather disgusting, as if she was riddled with some horrifying disease that should send everyone running. The way he looked at her said as much. Never before has she felt as if she was something to be avoided, as she always tried to be as agreeable as possible with people - she was able to adapt to many things that came her way, and she would not let this situation stop her. She'd find a way to adjust herself to where she was, and especially, to Loki. The entire ordeal was already something that she did not favor one bit, and she was prepared to do many things in order to make it as bearable as she could. If it involved trying to make peace with the man who put her in the basket of all the things he hated, then so be it, even though it might be a bigger bite than she could swallow. She rubbed her temples as she held half of her face in her palm, closing her eyes and attempting to think, to discern the reasoning behind the things she instinctively felt.

Loki: His gaze drifted over to her, and she seemed to be equally frustrated as he, with her face buried in her hand. When he thought she noticed, he continued looking elsewhere, his lips set tightly, his jaw clenched. He wondered what she was thinking of him briefly, knowing he was a coward and pathetic for not being able to withstand the touch of a woman – a mortal woman, at that. He was angry at the fact that the cause of this should not even be bothering him anymore, that he should have pulled through a long while ago, but he could not put together the strength to at any case. Needless to say, he still needed to withstand her to an extent.

"I apologize," he lied rather suddenly, knowing that that may not even be the appropriate thing to say to her.

Luna: She looked at him in confusion. He did not specify for what he was apologizing, yet... He hardly had anything to apologize for, when it came to physical contact, or rather, the lack of it. It was instinct with him, a learned one, and going against it was no easy task, even for him, as he proved time and time again. The only thing he had to be sorry for, in this particular context, was that even though she knew that he could withstand it rather well, to the point where he'd forget about it, he still pulled away, consciously, deliberately, spitefully. She wondered how much of it had to do with him even convincing himself that it was far too much for him to bear.

"It is alright. You can't help it," she said almost indifferently, though it was far from alright. Then again, his apology was hardly true, itself.

Loki: He met her eyes, seeing her confusion, but knowing it hardly mattered, as he did not mean it. She lied, as well. "Indeed," he replied shortly, with a curt nod of his own. He did not know how to solve things with her, but he supposed it was not a thing of copious relevance. It would not matter the moment he left Midgard, as he would easily forget about her and everything that had transpired during this humiliating point in his life, when he lives a life on his own. Satisfying no one but himself, keeping to himself. Trivial matters such as the issue that she was touching him would be silly and useless later on.

Luna: Was this always how it's going to be? Feigned conversations, filled with words with no meaning and faked gestures... The glass of the window seemed cold and inviting, and she wished to cool herself off, yet she refrained from it, as the glass would most likely be filthy and she'd rather not touch. She was far too warm for herself, some times, and especially in such small, heated spaces did she feel in need for a refreshment. She placed her arm against the glass, and her head against her arm, feeling the cold permeate her long sleeve, as she savored what she could. At least she distracted him from the storm, however temporarily; she gazed out the window, wondering what would happen if it indeed was Thor...

Loki: The frown seemed to settle permanently on his face as he attempted to keep his thoughts away from all of the possibilities of the future, and continued making useless observations about his surroundings as she leaned away from him. The minutes passed by slowly, and soon the storm raging outside settled down, and eventually only rain remained. He figured that the storm went on too long for it to even be considered Thor. Rarely did he ever disturb the atmosphere longer than a few minutes to a half hour. Then again, there was no telling how long the storm raged on, as his mind could not decipher.

Luna: Time passed in utter silence, and when she finally thought to look at the clock, she was relived beyond reason to see that they would very soon be arriving. The bus was stifling and cramped, and what with the man next to her oozing discomfort and negativity, she was getting very needy for the outside, for a space bigger, for some time away. Her thoughts have distracted her to a point where she did not notice she storm dying off. She blinked several times, attempting to discern whether the rain truly was slowing down, but the sky was indubitably lighter, as the clouds seemed to have lightened, as well. She looked over at Loki, exhaling slowly and letting the faintest of smiles curve her lips. She, herself, felt lighter.

Loki: He looked at her smile and then to the brighter skies outside, seeing that they both radiated relief. His relief, however, was marred by a thought – very little on the outside indicated that it was not Thor, still. He could never be sure. Not to mention the fact that the pain in his abdomen was increasing with every passing bit of time that he remained on this bus. He knew he had to change back soon. He glanced at the clock when she did, knowing there were more reasons for her pleased look. He eased slightly, relieved that soon he would not have to continue such a facade, and all would be well for him to rest.

Luna: She was getting almost anxious to get out of the bus, getting rather restless in her seat, fidgeting this way and that, quite unable to sit entirely still; either her fingers would drum against the armrest or her lap, or one of her legs would nervously move up and down, or she would be running her fingers through her hair... She had to get out soon. The ten minutes remaining seemed as long as the previous hour and fifty minutes.

Finally, the bus pulled into the grey, filthy bus stop. The rain lowered to a drizzle, and even though she knew that it would only emphasize the horrendous bus smells outside, she could not wait to get as far away from it as possible. With forced patience, she waited for people to get out, following right behind Loki who shot up out of his seat, holding her bag to herself. Finally, she came out, and though she wished to inhale a little more deeply, she knew that it wouldn't be wise, as the air was not entirely suitable for needy lungs. The rain met her clothes and her skin and her hair, and she had neither umbrella nor a hood to protect herself with; fortunately, the rain was not very heavy, and if they hurried, they'd not be too drenched. As if it mattered, she thought, it was but water - it'll dry.

Loki: The rain against his skin felt good – cold, as opposed to the warm bus that he had been forced to sit upon, and he let it fall on him, uncaring. He tried not to hurry through as he followed her to where they would go next, as he assumed (and hoped) that they would find another hotel nearby; the pain in his abdomen seemed to increase twofold when he moved, let alone walked, nearly making him double over and give up his facade completely. But he carried on, keeping a strong will to himself as they traveled, picking up the pace.

Luna: She was glad that such larger cities had hotels on every other block, and essentially, it did not matter in which one they would stay. They'd adjust - he perhaps a little harder - but adjust nonetheless. She enveloped her bag in her arms in order to shield it from the rain, as she did not want for the rest of her things to be as wet as she was becoming. People were rushing about the streets, both those with umbrellas and those without - their hurried footsteps splattered across the wet streets, and the cars ran through puddles, uncaring of the people outside it.

Luna saw a lit, neon sign sticking vertically out of the side of the building, naming it a hotel; it shone almost dully with the rain falling across it.

Glancing towards the street, Luna grabbed Loki's arm and pulled him as far away from the street as she could, just as a car sped by, sending a wave of water splashing across half the street.

Loki: When she grabbed his arm, he glared immediately at her, but only to see that she was pulling him away from a splash of water that heaped up onto the sidewalk. He lost his glare, but casually slipped his arm out from her grasp as the vehicle passed. Why did he not realize that was going to happen? The pain was taking more than its fair share of attention, distracting him to the point where it could have cost him more than he was willing to pay. He glanced at her but then only continued walking alongside her, not going as far as thanking her. He was simply embarrassed he had not noticed it.

He hated the people who continually brushed past him, even more numerous as before, hurrying to walk out of the rain. He saw the sign she looked pointedly to, advertising where they should end up. He eventually took the lead and walked faster towards the sign, wishing to be out of the public eye as soon as possible.

Luna: He had the audacity to scold her for her manners, yet he did not mind his own. She rolled her eyes, her sigh hidden by the sound of the falling rain, mingling perfectly with it and going unheard.

She followed him inside, wiping wet hair which dripped to her clothing and to the thinly carpeted floor out of her face. She pulled out the fortunately dry money out of her mildly damp bag, speaking quietly and shortly to the woman behind the desk; the blonde woman did not look very happy that the two of them were dripping over the lobby, but Luna could and would do nothing to fix that momentarily.

"Just for the night, please, two beds," she requested, taking the key with a small, plastic key ring dangling from it, bearing the unfamiliar logo of the hotel and nodding to the dry instructions the woman gave her on how to locate their room. A short elevator ride later, one only the two of them took, she unlocked the room with a relieved sigh.

Loki: He nearly immediately changed his form, almost throwing himself upon the armchair, not caring that his clothes were nearly drenched. He let out a relieved sigh, as well, thanking the Norns for this relief as the tension within his abdomen noticeably eased. He furrowed his brow as he then looked over at her - she looked rather miserable.

Her wet hair dripped onto her thin clothes. If he was in any other kind of mood, he would have noted the way her clothes stuck to her curves and the way her skin flushed from the cold. She truly was lovely, he decided. Nothing entirely special, except for her darker hair to which he was chiefly unused, but she was an attractive woman, he thought.

Luna: The room was sufficiently warm, but if she did not change immediately out of her wet clothes, there was a very real possibility that she would catch a cold or something such. She seldom got sick, but at this point, she would not risk it for anything; the trip, itself, was bothersome as it is, and she would _not_ go through it sick in any way.

At once, she peeled her jacket off, glancing at Loki, now in his usual form, on her way to the closet - she was intending on grabbing one of the coat hangers she knew were always in hotel room closets, for her clothes to dry, but she slowed down in her steps when she noticed Loki's eyes on her. Her brows quirked lower in small confusion before she looked away, shrugged it off, and continued what she was doing. She felt him watching, though, for several seconds longer, and she wondered why that was; it made her feel unsafe once more, exposed. With a quicker step - hoping that he would take it as simply her desire to get into something dry, and not as getting away from his intrusive gaze - she retreated to the bathroom, heaving her bag alongside.

Loki: With a blink, he came out of his trance-like moment when he realized he was staring at her for far too long, and she grew increasingly paranoid as his eyes wandered along her body, until she disappeared into the bathroom altogether. He frowned, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment. He shook his head and then conjured his own clothing to change in to while she was within the bathroom. His own clothing, more specifically, being his tunic and a pair of comfortable pants. He quickly stripped out of his wet clothing to change into what he was more used to and then placed the wet clothing onto a hanger within what looked to be a small closet to dry, for he did not wish to conjure any sort of heating spell in case his abdomen reacted violently.

He then laid back onto what he decided was his bed, feeling as it was slightly more comfortable than the last bed he slept in. He figured hotel rooms were generally laid out in the same fashion everywhere, with small commodities, along with what looked to be what the Midgardians called a "television" and a phone on the night stand between the beds. It still smelled of mildew and the scents of people who have most likely roomed within the same space before. It was still comfortable, to say the least, and once he recalled the fact that he could have easily spent the night outside, he decided not to complain. He was simply pleased to be further away from the house they left, with no signs of Thor or S.H.I.E.L.D... Hope was to be restored that night.

* * * * *

Luna: She exhaled slightly when she shut the door to the bathroom and began removing her clothes and replacing them with dry ones. Her skin was rather cold momentarily - courtesy of the wind - but she would warm rather quickly once again. She always did. It was very difficult for her to remain cold for any extensive period of time, as her body always found ways to draw warmth out of absolutely anything it could find and store it for itself. Her body tingled slightly as such a thing occurred even now, assimilating to the heat of the room.

She took a look at herself in the bathroom mirror, overhanging the sink, as most mirrors she's seen did. She combed her fingers through her slick hair and let it fall as it naturally would around her small face. Her dark eyes looked back at her wearily, as if she had not slept in a while; there were no bags beneath them, for which she was grateful, but there was very light bruising nevertheless. She was slightly flushed as her body attempted to regulate her temperature and return it to normal. Why was Loki looking at her as such? She felt it so clearly, she shivered merely reminiscing about the feeling. After taking as long as would be still deemed normal in the bathroom, she exited, seeing that he settled upon one of the beds, already in dry clothes of his own, ones that she recognized were not of her own world. "Lovely clothes," she commented.

Loki: He smirked and nodded in her direction when she exited the bathroom, seeing that she realized that what he wore was most obviously not Midgardian. No, he was much more comfortable in his tunic, as it was familiar and warm, not thin and useless. It had his colors, much like most of his wardrobe, and that, above all, pleased him no matter how inconsequential they usually were, along with symbols of his identification, marked with runes circling the cuffs of the sleeves in the most intricate of fashions, small bits exuded magic in hopes of protection and strength. Some of them meant that he could summon his armor, if he so decided, but unfortunately, that, too, was not part of what was promised to him, what little there was when he was upon Midgard. He supposed they believed he would be kept safe enough that he would not require his armor... Or perhaps they hoped that he would not be safe. It could go either way.

Luna: It was her turn to look, though she was gazing at his shirt more so than at him, at the delicate embroidery and the odd symbols that she found she liked quite a bit. The colors were those which she most often found on him, as they seemed to be the ones which he was most partial to. It suited him, this attire, it fit him much more naturally and better than any other piece of clothing she has up until then seen on him.

Loki: He caught her looking at his tunic, which was less surprising, as it would be quite eye-pleasing in comparison to what she was most likely used to seeing, the dull fabrics they were. He looked over to her. "Interesting, hmm?" he asked, quirking a brow in her direction. It seemed like she was repaying him for staring at her for that extended bit of time before and he only smirked at that thought.

Luna: "Very much so, yes," she confirmed with a nod. "I do like the embroidery," she added, her eyes unabashedly noticing every bit of it that they could. It fit his slim frame, as well, it looked as if it were tailored specifically for his body and his body alone - which it most likely was, if it were Asgardian.

Loki: He nodded again. "All of it has its own purpose," he replied, glancing to the markings on his long sleeve and went on to explain how they were meant for his protection in battle, a sort of enchantment that was used by the craftsman of his armor that was used for any warrior's tunic, but then how other markings were meant specifically only for a prince and a sorcerer, such as himself. He knew anything involving magic would fascinate her, but considering magic was weaved into the very essence of Asgard's existence, he knew he could never have enough time to tell her of everything, though he knew she would more than fervently listen.

Luna: Her eyes widened slightly in curiosity as she listened to his explanations, looking at the markings which he indicated, taking a step closer, in order to see better. "There are enchantments placed into your clothing, through such decorations?" she repeated, and though she understood, it was quite unbelievable. A smile appeared on her face as she shook her head slightly, looking at all the smooth looking symbols, fairly angular and sharper, as far as she could notice. "That is.." she began, wondering of the sorcerers who placed such spells upon the clothes, upon the threads, themselves, as they were woven into clothing... "Phenomenal," she finished her praise.

Loki: He nodded with a smile, feeding off the small enjoyment he had from seeing her light up whenever he spoke of Asgard. It made the misery slightly more bearable to him, as he had a sense of self pride within such simple things. "It is, yes," he agreed smoothly and rose to make his way to the bathroom, considering she seemed to be finished with it. He needed to clean himself off, he decided, and at least bathe. The Midgardian bus made him feel slightly dirty, along with the rain that made his hair stick to the back of his neck in the most uncomfortable way possible.

Luna: She saw that he was starting for the bathroom, and she took several steps away from it, heading towards one of the beds, herself, nearly brushing against him as they passed by one another, her balance slightly thrown off in her sudden haste. All she wished for is to take up one of the beds and relish in what comfort it could give her.

Loki: The room was relatively narrow, yes, but he still could not understand why she would have to nearly walk right into him. He stepped out of the way subtly to avoid her entirely, knowing that there was plenty of room for her to have gone around more efficiently. He mumbled underneath his breath.

Luna: She stopped in her tracks with a blink, realizing that he had bent out of the way so that he would, once again, not have to be near her. She was not close enough to bump into him or even touch him as she was walking, so why would he... She shook her head and she turned around to him, her eyes narrowing. "Was that necessary?" she asked, focusing her gaze on him intently. "We weren't _nearly_ close enough to..." she lingered off, running her hand through her very, very slowly drying hair.

Loki: He blinked in surprise, wondering why she would make such a comment, looking back at her in distaste. Why in Yggdrasil would she want to discuss something so silly as him simply trying to avoid brushing past her? He did not feel obliged to give her a decent answer, although he could see why she would believe it was not so purposeful. "We were," he muttered simply.

Luna: "No, we were not. You make your point of not liking to be touched very clear, and I would not purposefully run into you with my entire body," she said, crossing her arms across her chest. "Besides, what if I happened to trip or twist my ankle and inadvertently bump into you? As in - what if it was purely accidental? For the love of everything, Loki, you make me feel disgusting," she said, her voice taking on a tinge of genuine dejection by the time she finished speaking. She was unsure just how her calm was thrown off like that so suddenly, to the point where she was being so very honest and direct, but she had just about enough of feeling such a way.

Loki: He frowned, knowing that was hardly what any sort of intention was, as he merely did not wish to feel so uncomfortable. If it was any other time in his life, he would have welcomed her touch... perhaps, even, overly so. He backed up slowly, seeing the emotion she had within her face, out of pure upset that she would react in such a way to his rejection of any sort of contact with her. His brows knit together as he tried to discern what would be appropriate to say to her and what would lead them into a full-blown argument. "That has not stopped you before, my wishes that you claim to be well aware of," he replied slowly and evenly. "You are not... disgusting..." he added.

Luna: "It hasn't, no, but it's just about to. It is not even about the deliberate contact - mind you, sometimes I act before I remember that I am not supposed to," she spoke more quickly with each word. Truly, sometimes she reached out for him without a second thought, most often in cases when he simply seemed as if he could use the most effective way of comforting that she knew of - of course, only once words failed, which they tended so often to do when he was in question. Besides, he _could_ endure it, and without as much discomfort, she knew.

"It's more about the fact that even when it is not intentional, you recoil, you do just about anything so that you would be as far away from me as possible. I am _not_ trying to hurt you, even if I _could_ , and I _can't_." she stressed. "You go around me as if I'm filth that you would not be caught dead with, I feel like I have some sort of a disease that makes you avoid me, and to be quite honest, it is _not_ pleasant."

Loki: He pressed his lips together as he listened to her little rant, having half a mind to ignore it and continue on to bathe, rather than take care of her little issues, but her tone made him stay put. He frowned, knowing that the majority of the time, it was to prevent embarrassment from himself, he knew, considering he would twitch unintentionally and make himself look like a child – unless he was the one to initiate it.

"What would you like me to do then, hmm?" he asked slowly, trying to keep his irritation at bay so it would not undo him once more, make him lose control. He hated this... this feeling of uncertainty, of being out of control and doubting in himself that he could maintain it. He _wanted_ to regain the amount of normalcy he had before all of this, to touch women as he wanted to, and to have total control over his mind when things were less complicated, when torture was not waiting on the threshold of his mind. If anything, that was what made him regret his actions, equivocal as they were. And yet, he needed what Thanos offered, and he hungrily took it up...

"I cannot change it as of right now..." he added after much contemplation.

Luna: She ignored his question, as she, herself, was unsure of what she wanted of him. The first thing that came to mind was that she simply wished for him to stop acting as if she's the plague, itself. She knew very well that most of his reactions to her were out of learned reflex, but he had more control of himself than he would say, as he has shown copious amounts of it the few times she's touched him and he did not recoil. The way his body reacts, the twitches, the jitters, it was involuntary, she knew, and it truly saddened her to see that _those_ were someone's instincts and responses to something so gentle and warm; oh, yes, it saddened her and in a way, she wanted it gone. She could not place why, but she would not be attempting time and time again if she did not wish so. She knew that it shouldn't matter, that he would be gone regardless of the things that transpired, and that she should not matter, either.

"No, you think you cannot," she corrected him. He's already progressed, however slightly, but he either was not aware of it, or he did not wish to be aware of it. She did not know many things - why she was bothering, most of all; no, she could absolutely not decipher her motivation, nor her reasoning, but it was there and she actually wished to follow it. What she did know was that she was growing very tired of feeling like she was loathsome.

Loki: He leaned against the wall in exasperation. The girl seemed very willing to argue with him, as if she knew what he was facing, what he went through, the amount of torture he faced. No, she was close to blaming him and him only for everything he did, as if the entirety of this situation, of what happened, of why he was there at that moment.

"I _think_ I cannot?" he repeated with emphasis, wishing for her to further continue in some sort of explanation as to why she thought she knew what he felt, why he did it.

Luna: The options that presented themselves to her were difficult, and choosing one even more so. She could tell him what she noticed, as she was quite sure that he has noticed it, as well, though he was doing a marvelous job at hiding his own observations. But, then, by doing so, he would most certainly be aware of what she was attempting to do, and he might retreat so far back and bar her from even trying ever again, and that was not something that she wanted. He had endured plenty, and she couldn't _not_ react to his instinctive reactions, for they managed to tug at her very being; she could not stand seeing someone ruined in such a way, taught to loathe and shy away from any contact possible... It was not a proper way for one to live. She didn't know what he would have left of his life, or if he would even have one, but he should not spend what's left of it cringing away from things that could quite possibly bring some sort of solace to him.

A part of her felt obliged to at least try and help him with something, as he had granted her that which she yearned for for years, he had given her such a possibility that she wanted so, so very badly... Certainly, she was helping him escape, but that was something that she has been admittedly forced into.

She began pacing the room, attempting to discern what it is that she wanted to accomplish - _why_ was an entirely different question, one of the most difficult ones to answer. Perhaps she was simply mad. "Yes, you think you cannot, but I think you can because I've seen it," she said finally, wishing there was another way around this. She didn't know what she expected of him.

Loki: He watched as she seemed to pace the room trying to think of what she would say next. His eyes remained on her as she moved about until she finally spoke up. And even then he was thrown into confusion as to what she was thinking. She has seen it? Seen what? His mere struggle to comply with her so he would not have to repeatedly slap her away whenever she touched him? Whenever he was in so much pain that he could not shove her away? And why would she even believe that which she _saw_?

"Oh, really?" he pressed, "When I had no choice but to comply? Is that what you mean?" He pressed, trying to keep his tone somewhat decent.

Luna: A scoff escaped her. That had been so the majority of times, when her attempts at comforting him came at the times she thought he could use it; she'd hardly touched him otherwise. But even when his pain and his inability to stop her ceased, he had not instantly moved away. "And what of the attic?" she asked, trying to keep her voice under control, and though she kept it at a moderate tone, emotions streaked. "There was nothing stopping you then."

Loki: His expression eased as he considered what exactly happened in the attic. Why she would remember what he did when she was so obviously upset with him was beyond him. Women remember everything, he noted, with a subtle roll of his eyes. "You were crying..." he muttered, shifting uncomfortably. "I hardly touched you... If at all..."

Luna: She was crying... And he was mannerly enough not to deny her consolation at the said moment. That simply confirmed her thoughts. He did not touch her, no, not on his own accord, but the contact was there, with her head on his shoulder. And since when was this about who touches who? It was about the touch, itself, and his inability to endure even the lightest ones. He had to be aware of the fact that - as he pointed out many a time - she was a mortal, she was weaker than he was, and she was simply unable to hurt him, no matter what she tried. Perhaps it was simply a matter of convincing him into it, as his mind seemed to reject what was pure, firm fact.

"Yes, but you _let me_ , and you did not die because of it, or go through very much pain, now, did you?" she said. "It helped." she added after a little while, on and off pacing the room.

Loki: Yes... He allowed her to place her head on his shoulder on her own accord because he thought it would help her stop crying, and it did, as she said. He shook his head, finding that he could not answer, feeling completely idiotic underneath her speculative gaze. He pressed his lips together and simply stared back at her before finally breaking her gaze, looking elsewhere.

"No," he muttered before remaining silent for a long while, trying to make sense of this all. "And you wish to solve this all, then?" he pressed, furrowing his brow once more, looking back at her, mimicking her scrutiny.

Luna: She met his gaze whenever he looked at her; her hands were overly warm with the heat of the small bursts of adrenaline that coursed through her every so often, accompanying particular thoughts. It was as if her mind and her body had two tenants, who usually worked quite in unison, yet now, they were as different as they could be, arguing and debating. One tried to pull her away from the entire situation, make her drop everything and resign, quit bothering, have her simply go through with this with as little involvement as possible, whereas the other one pushed her thoughts and words forward, attempting to convince her that she had gone far enough now that she could no longer simply stop.

"No, I..." she began, then stopped. "Yes, but..." she sighed and tried to speak more orderly, lest he think her a blabbering idiot who cannot use her mouth. "I don't know, but the way you react to me upsets me and I want it to stop," she uttered finally. She knew that it wouldn't stop if she just sat down and did nothing about it, as there would be times much like this one, where she will inadvertently come a little too close to him for his liking, and he would react in such a way that would make her feel utterly dejected. A whisper of a thought appeared in the back of her mind that she was truly pushing her luck by acting in such a way with him, the man who could dispose of her to his convenience, at any time...

Loki: And what was a man to say to such a thing? What was one to do? He could try to let her touch him, he knew, as she was a woman and there was a time where he would rather touch a woman than spend any amount of time personally with her. He let several moments of silence pass between them both as he tried to figure out what he would try to allow her to do and what he wouldn't. He knew he didn't want to stand through her being upset simply because he was stubborn, as he said he wished to make this as comfortable for her as possible, but when her comfort sacrificed his, then it would become an issue.

"Very well," he muttered before finally turning and closing the door behind him into the bathroom, not wishing for such awkwardness to continue.

Luna: She stood in mild shock after he disappeared, the thoughts of what just transpired slowly seeping into her mind. Was that compliance? She couldn't determine whether his words were those of acceptance, or those of severing the argument, but there was little for her to do but wait and see just what he meant by it. Slowly, hardly feeling her legs as her own, she went over to the bed and eased herself down upon it, turning her back to the bathroom door. The comfort was welcoming, and she would have enjoyed it and paid it more heed had she not been entirely, unexpectedly sincere. Her face reddened and she burrowed it in the soft pillow, her hand clutching the sheets.

She attempted to convince herself that there was no use or purpose in regretting her words or her actions, as they've happened and she could not precisely take them back. Perhaps she could act as if they'd not happened; she knew he could tolerate her if he tried hard enough, but perhaps the ways in which she was attempting to accomplish that were altogether wrong. The question never left her mind - why? Since she could not satisfy herself with any answer she provided herself with, she had to settle for the thing that resembled the closest to the actual, unknown reason: she wished to make things more bearable between the two of them for the time they had to spend together.

Loki: He looked in the mirror, seeing that he seemed to have became paler than he usually was, considering his eyes looked like they were even more bruised before. It was as if the magic was not just sucking out any sort of comfort within him, but his life, as well. Perhaps that was part of the punishment, he thought. He stepped into the running water of the shower so he could bathe.

He attempted to discern what exactly he had agreed to, whether he would allow her to touch him or if he would try to manage and act as though he was not shying away, even though he desired for her not to. There was, of course, the issue hat he had to overcome the fact that it was merely something that he could not control.  
Even as he exited the shower and dried himself off, he was weighing two options in a quandary, watching as they tried to outweigh one another. Once outside, he retreated to his bed, not wishing to speak any further with her, as he was quite confused with himself. But he found he did not wish to sleep as he had already slept the night prior, so he simply laid there, staring upon the ceiling.

Luna: The water in the bathroom running and all of the sounds of the hotel room and of him faded into background noise as her thoughts were indubitably the loudest in her head. She gazed in front of herself distantly, though she closed her eyes once she heard him emerge. She buried her face partially in her pillow, and concealed the other part with her arm. Even though she knew quite clearly that there was not much she could do momentarily, she still felt a hint of embarrassment prodding at her and making her curl her fist around the covers loosely. Perhaps it was better this way - she felt too strange even speaking to him now, let alone making any attempts at further contact. He should like that.

Loki: He noticed that she seemed almost embarrassed, considering she was hiding her face within a pillow and not turning to look at him when he exited the bathroom. Perhaps she would go back on anything she said and end up being too embarrassed to continue contact, which made him partially glad... And yet, he did wish for his reactions to cease, no matter how much he wished to forever avoid admitting such a thing.

Luna: She shut her eyes even more firmly, wishing she could dislocate and find herself elsewhere, in any place that he was not in. Anywhere to escape his presence momentarily. She began curling up, her legs positioning against her stomach as she reveled in the thought of being invisible, alone. The air in the room was so thick with confusion, addled with questions, heavy with discomfort. Oh, yes, if she could be anywhere else... She wished he would grow tired of her momentarily and continue on his way without her; it'd make matters much easier, even though she was beyond the point of returning home now. No matter. She could find her way elsewhere. Such wistful thoughts began to sprout in her head, and they were much of a relief, in comparison to the previous ones. The silence was pressing, but what might be used to break it might be even worse.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little feedback would not go amiss. Any thoughts you might have regarding this, we would be glad to hear, regardless of their nature. Thank you for reading, still. Do know that we will finish this, as it is already finished - we merely have to update every so often once proofreading and editing is done.

Luna: Luna's mind altered the occurrence.

All was hazy, as if the thinnest of veils draped the sight and hindered the vision in the slightest of ways. Yet the details... The details were painful and clear. Her mother's laugh. Her father's chuckle. Twining with one another after a slight the man on the radio that sounded in their car made. Luna sat in the back with a clear view of her father's dark eyes in the rear-view mirror. She knew. She knew the precise moment, though her parents did not. Futilely, she tried to speak with them, to tell them, to let them know. To say goodbye.

A light too strong for the eyes, the feeling of her heart about to hammer its way out of her chest, the sight of her father's arm darting out in front of his mother in a useless attempt to shield her. A crash that bent the entire car out of shape, murdering.

She started awake.

Loki: Loki was jerked out of his thoughts as he noticed the girl was beginning to twitch and writhe within her bed, as she seemed to be having a bad dream. Her movements became gradually worse while she groaned incoherent, unintelligible thoughts. He furrowed his brow, unable to stand such sights and noises; he knew how terrible nightmares could be. He sat up from his bed, moving close to hers and trying to nudge her awake by lightly touching her arm, a frown on his face. "Luna," he murmured so as to not have to continue touching her, but he had to wake her. "Luna, it is a dream... Wake..." he pressed.

Luna: The sound of the crash resounding in her ears blended in with the sound of her own name being spoken by a voice familiar yet not at all fitting in what happened. She would be thankful later on that she did not wake with a scream, as was known to happen. Her eyes opened almost instantaneously, and with a single blink, tears that she was not aware of spilled over and left a wet trail down her two cheeks. She stared in front of herself, filled with images that her mind conjured, perhaps purely for the reason of tormenting her, making her experience her parents' death in a way much closer and personal than it had been in truth. Her hands trembled and her knuckles whitened as she clutched at the covers. No sound escaped her save for her tattered breathing - quivering inhales and sharp exhales; the tears ran silently. She felt as if she were standing on thin ice. A single movement, however small, and the ice would break, and it would break her.

Loki: He knew very little of how to comfort her, knowing that it would help to touch her in one way or another, to pull her out of such a horrid mess he knew she was in. He hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder once more, rubbing it as she did for him when he was in pain. It felt terribly awkward for him, but he did so anyway, not wishing to be next to a sobbing girl the rest of the night. "Luna, it was only a dream," he said calmly, trying his best to be gentle with her as he did not want to disturb her any further. "Everything is alright," he murmured.

For a moment he wondered if he had anything to do with her nightmare, considering he did scare her more often than anything else. Perhaps his being there would not help at all, but only make it worse. "Calm down," he said, letting his voice be as soothing as he could make it.

Luna: She shook her head helplessly, pressing her lips tightly together in an unsuccessful attempt to stop herself from crying more. Her hands let go of the sheets then and rushed to her face, hiding it and her tears from view. She felt a cool hand on her back, though, in truth, she could hardly notice it while she tried to keep herself together for as long as she could.

"It wasn't..." she said shakily, trying to keep the crying out of her voice. "It wasn't a dream." Her voice was partially muffled by her hands which were now wiping at her face, though to no avail, as tears simply kept going and going and going. Her back shook slightly beneath his hand, which was now what she was trying to pay the most attention to. Anything to keep her mind away from...

Loki: He frowned, wondering what she could possibly mean, for she _was_ asleep. He continued rubbing her back, knowing that somewhere deep down it was helping. "It wasn't?" he repeated in confusion. "Whatever was it then?" he murmured, believing that if she at least spoke of it, it would help. He had a worry in the back of his mind that if it were not a dream, perhaps her mind was being altered – much like what Thanos did to him often when he was working to subjugate Midgard. Why would he want Luna, though? She was hardly aware of anything within his life, hardly close to him... There would be no reason...

Luna: She struggled to keep her mind on there and then, as it was continually trying to escape from her to the memory of her parents, something she knew she should not speak of momentarily, as it would make her even weaker and put her in an even worse state than it presently was. A part of her was, without a doubt, amazed that he was now freely comforting her in such a way - perhaps he did mean what he said; the memory of that, however, made her face sink deeper into her hands. "It... it _was_ a dream, but of... something that did happen." She had to stop several times in order to control her voice and not let it crack while she spoke. Another image appeared behind her closed eyes and delivered a painful twist to her chest; her fingers began closing around her hair.

Loki: He furrowed his brow as she looked quite tortured, her fingers folding around her hair in what looked to be the most painful way. He only continued to rub her back, as he could not think of anything else to do that might even remotely come close to helping. He could only guess what was bothering her so, what would plague her nightmares. "Calm..." he murmured, mimicking what she said to him upon the bus when he noticeably panicked. "If you wish to speak of it, you may," he added, trying continue to keep his voice very gentle and careful to not make her any more bothered than she already was.

Luna: She heaved in a deep, quivery breath at his words, trying to heed them the best she could, but her breathing would break every few seconds, coming much too shallow for any sort of comfort. She shook her head, utterly unsure of anything in the present moment. She did not think she could talk about such matters right now, after what had transpired with him... It would be too much for her to handle with any sort of composure, she knew. Perhaps, if the circumstances were different and if she was not so perturbed by her dream, she would have dealt with the entire situation much better, quite possibly with no tears, no panicking and no need for him to comfort her as such. Her hands loosened and tightened around her hair. "I... I wish that I did not have to dream of it, on top of e-everything..." she said finally, so, so very quietly, for she was scared that any louder would betray her and send her into even further weeping.

Loki: He sighed and tried his hardest not to roll his eyes as he paused rubbing her back, seeing that it was hardly doing anything. "Luna... Calm..." he grumbled, trying not to show his fatigue with having to guess at her vague meaning, but he sounded like more of an animal trainer. "Dream of what?" he pressed, knowing he could not help her unless he knew what, exactly, she needed help with. Or at least have him on the right path and figure out what she was so very upset over. He pressed down on her arms where her hands were gripping into her hair. Perhaps asking her such a thing was not so wise, as she may just start crying all over again and his attempts at having a peaceful night were all in vain.

Luna: The moment she felt his hands upon her arms, her own immediately let go of her head and settled in her lap, instead; it was difficult for her not to wring them or touch them in any way. The bit of her mind that was presently rational attempted to calm her down as much as he did. She could not have looked very normal momentarily, and the thought brought slight blush to her cheeks. She was making a fool of herself, behaving as such and not being able to put herself under control.

The matter was delicate and so it would remain, regardless of the years that passed, but seldom had she not been able to wrap herself in indifference and speak of it as if she spoke of someone else, and not herself. She shifted her weight so that she was facing him a little more, but she still could not bring herself to look at him, not when there were tears tainting her face and constantly gathering in her eyes. No, she would rather seek some cover behind her hair that like curtains fell on both sides of her face, and keep her gaze on her lap. "My parents," she said simply.

Loki: Of course. He should have guessed as much. Now that her hands were no longer in her hair, he returned his own to her back. She most likely had to relive the feelings of when she had lost her parents, something he would never have done. She had to watch them leave her, while his already left before he could even remember, and those who he thought were his parents for hundreds of years replaced them. He tried to find the words that could befit the occasion; he was grateful that she wasn't looking at him as he was contemplating what his next step in this would be. "Be grateful you knew them," he murmured, but then thought back immediately, and considered the fact that that might not have even been the best thing to say, either.

Luna: His words managed to cancel her previous desire to not look at him, and now she slowly raised her head and her eyes to do so, trying not to pay too much attention to what she assumed might be in her eyes. The two of them were ultimately in a similar situation, though the roads that led to such a state differed. Although she knew her own road even better than she would have liked, his was shrouded away from her. Perhaps he was right, to a certain extent; she could hardly decide...

His own seemed to not have wanted him, and so he ended up without them, whereas hers did love her so, and were taken away. Ultimately, the result was the same. They were both quite alone in that sense. To have known them, to have known their love and then to have such a thing be taken away, or to not have known them at all and instead know just how unwanted one was... And yet, he had someone who did want him, who made sure that he was not entirely abandoned and lonesome, at least to a certain point. And then, he lost that, too. Several tears slipped down her cheeks as her dark gaze met his light one, unblinking, sad. It was quite hard to come by a thought which did not rip at her.

Loki: His eyes inspected her, seeing something more in her own. He ceased rubbing her back, pulling his hand away as he looked into her tear-filled, dark eyes. What was she thinking, he wondered, knowing that he then drew her attention to what he had been put through. He did not know what to say, still, unsure of whether it would make him seem even more heartless as to let her know that her parents loved her and cherished her and did _not_ abandon her due to idiotic reasons, leaving her to die in the cold, only for a man to collect her who would only feed her lies from the day she was born, because of a political incentive that she still could not understand till that very day. He looked unblinkingly at her, knowing his story was rather pathetic and he would rather not share it. Just as pathetic as he tended to feel when he, who had been mockingly called the silvertongue since childhood, could not find a single word to give her. Though he knew it would do much better for her to at least understand that her life truly was not as terrible, perhaps even come to understand that it was not entirely _his_ fault that everything came together in such a way. "Come now," he murmured gently, rubbing her shoulder once before pulling his hand away. "I am sure they were very fine people," he added.

Luna: She nodded, watching him recoil not only physically, but mentally, as well; it was as if the air thickened around him, sheltering him from any sort of intrusions that might come his way. She dropped her gaze again, feeling as if he were trying to divert the attention to her again, though she shied away from such type of it. Nevertheless, she gave him a small nod. "Thank you..." she murmured, and the moment she closed her mouth, her jaw clenched and her eyes closed once again, attempting to cease the tears that would not comply. Her hands took hold of her own forearms as she attempted to exhale without shaking. How she loathed it that images and thoughts could invade her mind with no warning beforehand, catching her off guard and jarring her to her very core. The remnants of the devastating feelings that reigned in her dream still lingered within her. She did miss them so - the thought pierced through her poor excuse of composure. "I'm sorry, I... I'm trying to stop.." she said, desperately shaking her head.

Loki: He shook his head even before she finished speaking. "No, it is quite alright," he insisted. "It is understandable, my dear," he added, his brow furrowing. "You are sad because you are alone, because you feel like it should have never happened, wishing that fate could have been slightly kinder..." he added, trying to separate himself from his own emotions regarding what happened to him with a blank tone and a small shake of his head. "And if only you could relive such a day, if only you could have known... If you could have stopped it from happening, then perhaps everything would have changed..."

Luna: She listened to him, with each word of his getting closer and closer to her snapping point. His words brought on further, stronger, larger floods of hurt and upset, and she feared that she might not have the capacity to withhold such a vicious pressure upon each and every fiber of her being. How correct he was... Such said things had to stop... The aftermath of his words bent her more than she thought she could take, and impulsively, desolately, with no other thought in her head but to soothe and ease herself, she turned to face him directly, leaning in and placing her forehead to his shoulder. Years have passed since such feelings evoked such a harsh reaction.

Loki: He felt as though he said all of the wrong words as she bent over and placed her forehead to his shoulder, continuing to cry. He looked down to her, attempting to make use of his mind, as he was uncertain what to say or do. He slowly, but surely, placed his arm around her back, whispering what he hoped would be words to further comfort her, assuming his peaceful night had just entirely escaped from his hands. "Sometimes all you need to do is simply let go," he murmured after attempting to hush her quiet sobs.

Luna: She acknowledged his words, hearing them clearly, yet acting upon them was not a task as easy. She could not let them go... There were too many things in her mind related to them, innumerable memories which, despite their perhaps happy nature, brought at least some pain and loss to her that she was almost sure she couldn't prevent. No, she truly doubted that she would ever come to a point in which she could evoke a thought and not have it prick at her at least somewhat. Her arm wrapped around his midriff the moment his did, and she rested her face against his shoulder further, finding refreshment in the cold that exuded him, along with massive comfort that came purely from his attempts. "It's not that simple. _You_ know so..." she murmured, taking breath after breath.

Loki: She had a point, he thought. He liked to think he had let it all go once he fell from the Bifrost purposefully, no matter how many times he put it in his mind that Thor had let _him_ go, instead. He liked to believe that there truly was nothing more than could penetrate his thick skin, but he knew, no matter how many times he repeated such thoughts, that he had never ever let it go for one moment. He would always be stuck in this maddening rage at the very people who had made this come to light, who had not simply let him die in the first place. He was so very tired of being lied to and used, and every memory plucked another string at the very delicate membrane that surrounded his mind from giving in to the insanity and keeping his head straight...

"No, it is not simple, you are correct. It won't ever be simple. It will be so... very difficult..." he explained through grit teeth. "But in the end, your anger and loss will only broil down into madness... if you do not, one day, accept it..."

Luna: Her body began to ever so slowly cease shaking, and though her breathing was still more ragged than she would have liked it, her tears came more silently than ever. She wiped at them with her free hand before they could fall onto his clothing that he was so very fond of. He'd not be fond of it dampening because of her, either. Her mind was slightly slower than usual, and her head was increasingly aching due to the strenuous crying that had shook her so - it was a dull pain, rather blunt and rather hefty. She turned her head so that her forehead was resting more fully against his shoulder, soaking in the soothing coolness. She could almost feel his low voice resonate through his body, making it hum in the most quiet of ways, and she found strange solace in it.

The tears resumed their falling as she recognized him in the description that he was giving her, in his words of warning, lest her own grief and anger rode her down the same path that he was wandering about for a long time. For this brief moment that they shared, she thought she could understand this fraction of him, as it was one which looked very much like one of her own, one that she was so very familiar with. Attempting to return the consolation that he was trying to give to her, she let her hand move ever so slightly back and forth on his back, as she still held him in a one-armed embrace. "One day..." her words echoed his in a voice barely above a whisper.

Loki: He nodded as he felt her lean further into his chest, wiping her tears before they came onto his tunic – he was surprised she would think of such a thing, rather than assume he was okay with it... He blinked in confusion as her hand reached around to rub his own back, as if it was he she was trying to comfort even though he meant for it to be the other way around. He obviously had much to learn. "Yes," he agreed dumbly, as he stood stiffly in this odd embrace.

Luna: She wondered just how close to madness he, himself, was, as he has shown some— it made her shiver involuntarily, and she quickly severed that train of thought, as she wasn't sure what conclusion awaited in the end. Her hand did not stop its increasingly careful motions, as she in fact found this slightly uncertain and stiff exchange to be of much comfort – not precisely something she expected of him, even after their previous conversation – but helpful nevertheless, more than she could have hoped for.

She closed her wet eyes; with what little sleep she has been getting recently, rest was all of a sudden not something she could come by very easily, and even recalling just how little of it she got brought another wave of fatigue. The nightmare only served to ensure that she had even less, she thought bitterly, wishing for but one night of plentiful rest, as it could last her for quite a long time, yet this way, with her sleep chopped up into brief, little fragments... It was not good. Especially not if she was to debilitate herself in such a way in front of him, merely confirming his already firm opinions of her, as well as her kind. Yet in this case, the ground was so very close to common, she would not believe that he would possibly think of her as weak for something such, especially as he, himself, has not shown a very great resilience to such matters.

Ever so gingerly, she slid slightly lower, her head coming to rest on his chest; she could hear his heartbeat, and it served as consolation more than anything else he could have done at the present moment. She gave another sigh as she tried to focus on him and him alone, instead of the whirring of the thoughts that threatened to pull her back into the gears that would grind her. Her arm subconsciously tightened about him, and the weight of his own arm upon her contributed to calming her effectively.

Loki: Even though he hardly relaxed into such a position, he could ultimately feel her calm down, her breathing becoming even and her body becoming less tense as the side of her head leaned against her chest. The warmth of her seemed to calm him, as well, in the oddest of fashions. He felt for just one moment that he was no longer cold, that he was just as warm as she was, and even though that often seemed to cause him even more discomfort, it did not do so now. Her touch was familiar while she continued to wrap herself around him.

How was he comfortable with her? How was his cold skin even in the slightest a relief? He paused in his movements across her back, unsure of what to do with her. He sighed, trying to make sense of this all without becoming so very frustrated. Perhaps it was safest, if not entirely easiest, to assume that he did want such contact... "You must be tired," he murmured to break the awkwardness of his position, as well as the silence that seemed to complement it.

Luna: She gave the smallest of nods, taking notice, once again, of how his voice reverberated within his body, and how it sounded almost altogether different to her. She kept her eyes closed as she spoke just as silently as he. "And you?" she asked in return, listening to the stable, rhythmic thudding of his heart; what an effect it had on her, she could hardly believe - it was almost putting her to sleep, she noticed after a very brief, sleepy haze. Crying tired her, thinking about her parents tired her, discussing them even more so... She could not determine just how she felt momentarily. All she wished was to grab even a wisp of peace while she could, after several quite eventful hours. And this, now, it was helping her obtain that. Were she not so tired, she might have given more thought about what was happening momentarily; perhaps she would have even pulled away in embarrassment. But she could not bring herself to sabotage herself by thinking even further. A brief thought flitted across her mind - how was he on all of this?

Loki: He grumbled a negative response. No, he was hardly tired... he was fatigued, yes, but that did not mean he would sleep. She seemed to be regressing back into the same tired mindset she had been in. He was glad, as it would relieve him from this utter confusion, at least for a time... and from the fact she was _right_... that he was only thinking he couldn't be comfortable when he was in contact with her. Or perhaps that was his tired mind thinking. That was what he wanted to believe, at least.

He shifted uncomfortably, hating the fact that he was wrong, that everything could change... He hated being proven wrong. He pulled away slightly, not wishing to be intrusive, but at the same knowing that if he proved her right then she would wish for more contact, and what would _that_ amount to?

Luna: She felt his attempt to break away and she unwound her arm from him and replaced it at her side, making it easier on him and simply pulling away, herself. She looked at him, feeling a remnant of the cold sensation upon the side of her face which had rested against him... How cold he was, and how soothing it could be to her who had more warmth in her than she, herself, could bear at times.

Her eyes remained on him for a little while longer; this man had hardly anyone. She wished to believe that he had Thor, at least - how protectively Thor spoke of Loki on several occasions, it was rather peculiar - but should Loki return to Asgard, not even Thor would be there for him. Things did not bode well for him if he was caught. And truly, she could not think of anyone he had. She, at least, had her brother, and a couple of friends, and it is to her brother that she would be returning after all of this was over. And Loki...? Her eyebrows drew lower, and her thoughts on him were a little clearer, now that he presented her with a piece of himself that she could understand, at least to a certain point. Perhaps, if all went according to plan, he might find one for himself, wherever it is that he chooses to go. At that moment, he was very new to her, as a new facet appeared, one gentler one that she did not want him to bury underneath all else.

Loki: He allowed her to pull away and rested his own arms at his side, attempting to regain what he was continuously thinking of, for he was entirely unsure of what was going on within him. He rose from the bed and then walked to his own bed across from her, still feeling quite awkward, sitting stiffly as he glanced at her.

What he saw in her eyes was quite different, a sort of gentleness that had not entirely been there before, as if she was looking upon him in a different way. He was unsure whether he wanted such a thing or not. He waited several beats of silence before finally sinking back onto his pillows. "You should rest," he suggested quietly, his voice just was unsure as his mind was. He hated all of this. Few were things that made him feel more vulnerable than this girl, and it was infuriating.

Luna: She gave a nod and a quiet "Mhmm..." as she slowly laid back down onto her bed, hoping terribly that she has had quite enough of distress for one day, and that it would cease, at least for the time being. She untangled the blanket that she sent into complete disarray with her tossing and turning, and straightened it over herself as she settled down as comfortably as she could on her side. Her gaze was still focused upon him, though it was weary and very close to giving up. "Thank you," she said after a long while spent in utter silence. He helped. She would think upon all of this when she awoke, as she felt her energy was dying out surely. Oh, there was much to be thought about.

Loki: He was unsure what to say. Why should he be thanked? Did he truly help her, or was she only trying to prove a point of what she had said earlier? He met her eyes briefly, his own hard and without a single discernible emotion. He eventually shut his eyes and turned away, his back continuing to face her, as he did not wish to continue thinking upon such aspects of what he was feeling. The girl was making her way into his mind and he wanted her out of it. There was no use trying to be close to a mortal girl. Why would he even wish to? He pressed his lips together tightly as he uncomfortably tried to find some sort of peace amongst the chaos of his mind, but he knew there was none to be had.

Luna: She frowned slightly; what in god's name did she say now that had him do that? With a stifled yawn, she shrugged his reaction off and shut her eyes. She was learning to expect just about anything from him, and not to consider any reactions of his as unpredictable. She thought it would be the wisest if she merely stopped trying to calculate how he would react, based on what she said or did or what happened - her assumptions could be as successful as not, and as she could not quite grasp what it depended on (as far as she was concerned, it depended on absolutely nothing), perhaps it would be best to leave it alone and spare herself some painstaking deducing that could very well simply backfire. She would merely go on to do what she felt would be good, and as for his reactions... Perhaps she could adapt, if only to endure it all more safely and more comfortably.

Loki: He continued to lay, staring upon the ceiling and never towards the girl. He tried to act as though he were sleeping so as she would not bother him and sleep, herself. He could tell by her barely audible exhale when he turned away from her that he did something she did not like so much. He ignored it. He tried convincing himself that the only reason that he helped her was so he could have a peaceful night, not because it would be beneficial to her. Yes, that was more just.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fair warning: there'll be plenty, plenty of chapters. With the way things are going, I would say around forty or so, and yes, I am quite aware of the fact that they are long, and some of them are not eventful past conversations, but so long as at least one person here is enjoying it, we will push this thing until the end.

Luna: Luna reclined upon her bed on wrinkled sheets, her legs covered up partially by the blanket. She leaned against the headboard, a concentrated frown upon her brow as she gazed at the map that she held in her lap. Her eyes followed one line, then took into consideration another one, and yet another, attempting to figure out where precisely to take them next, and the quickest possible way there. As Loki suggested, they ought to be moving north, towards the Canadian border, but there was still some distance to be crossed between there and where they were momentarily. Absentmindedly, she tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear, allowing herself better sight of the slightly crinkled map.

After waking up and having thoughts one by one begin to prod at her, she quickly tried to divert herself with further planning, and it was functioning, so far, as she considered transportation, small towns or neighborhoods along the way, whether it may be wiser to go around or in a straight line, what the safest way was...

Loki: He watched her after he pretended he was waking up so as to avoid questions pertaining to such a thing. He watched her as she appeared to be calculating over a paper map where exactly they were to go. He ended up sitting up slightly straighter, looking to her map in curiosity, seeing that they were where her finger remained pointed, and the thick black line separated one country from another. They were, indeed, close, but he could never tell what they were going to be avoiding... "How much further?" he muttered.

Luna: "Well," she began, "I was thinking perhaps we could go from here," she indicated the place there were at momentarily "to here." She dragged her fingertip lightly along the line to another place northwest of their current location. "By foot. It shouldn't be too strenuous," she shrugged and quickly glanced about the map, trying to see if perhaps she has missed a road that would be of much more convenience, though she ended up coming to the one she showed him.

Loki: He nodded. "So another few days, do you think?" he pressed, wanting to know when they could finally rest and not have to worry as much about S.H.I.E.L.D. finding them. He only wanted to find some sort of peace, though he knew that even though they would be in another country, people would still recognize his face. But perhaps he would not have to change his form so entirely, but only his facial features. It would require less energy most of the time, and when he was entirely capable, he could leave. It should not be for too long.

Luna: She nodded. "It should not take long for us to reach it, if we press our pace just a little harder. We can't be too lazy, not yet, it's still too risky, I think," she said, folding the map over carefully, though not moving otherwise. As far as she was concerned, S.H.I.E.L.D. could have been right in front of the hotel, simply waiting for them to exit. Or him, rather. She didn't want to risk ruining the entire plan, especially as it was developing and happening rather smoothly so far, by underestimating the organization she worked for.

At this point, she doubted that their capturing of Loki would bode any well for her, either. There was a chance for her to rid herself of the situation and of him, but that chance faded almost to nonexistence the day before, and it would keep fading the further away they went and the more time they spent running. No, if he was caught, then she would be, too, and then what would happen to them, she could not know...

Loki: He nodded after scanning the map once more before looking back up to her. Her eyes went blank and then distant as she seemed to enter into another train of thought. He supposed it was most likely something alike contemplation over the night prior. He wouldn't know. "I agree," he replied quietly with a curt nod. "But we should simply rest for right now, yes?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to put her out of her thoughts, if they be negative or spiteful.

Luna: She nodded in agreement. "Yes, that sounds about right," she said, folding her hands over in her lap as she sank deeper into the pillows she piled against the headboard to make herself more comfortable. She's been contemplating their next stop and the way of getting there since she woke up, and through such planning appeared thoughts of last night at random, hindering her from thinking more clearly for a while. She could use some lighter talk to put her mind at some more ease. She looked at his unmade bed that he still sat on, and a thought occurred to her.

"There are servants on Asgard, if I'm not mistaken?" she said, her tone questioning. She had a difficult time imagining that there weren't, and that Loki tended to his own room.

Loki: "Yes, of course," he replied, "I had many." He supposed that was hardly a concept upon Midgard anymore. No, they had separate jobs... "Services" were what they called it. Servants were what was supposedly a lesser title for them because they were paid and called it a "job" rather than a "duty." He presumed it was simply all different terminology.

Luna: "Ah, of course," she said, glad that her assumptions were correct. He _was_ a Prince, after all, it would only be normal to have servants tending to him. It must be rather strange for him to take care of certain matters on his own, instead. Quite spoiled in such a manner, she thought. "And the rest of the nobles have them, as well?" she pressed. If there were such things as castes on Asgard, surely the higher ones would have such staff. Or she could be entirely wrong, as she was basing all of her assumptions upon her own realm.

Loki: "Some do, others do not... only by choice," he responded, sitting back upon his bed, his head lifted up slightly upwards as he thought off distantly. Yes, he was quite used to servants tending to his every whim, and when he thought about it, he quite missed such an easy living. But he had been through enough recently that he knew what it was to take care of himself. At least, that was what he convinced himself periodically. "And if they do, they often have very few. I had a few who tended to myself specifically, and then many who tended to the entirety of the family," he explained.

Luna: She nodded as she listened, wondering if he knew even the names of those few who were his personal ones. "Some people still have servants today, though they're not always called so. It is mostly the royal families who do, or sometimes abundantly rich people," she said. "The idea of a _servant_ as such - in terms of a servant - isn't very frequent nowadays," she added thoughtfully.

Loki: "So I have noticed," he noted, making a show of glancing around the room with a small smirk, knowing that he was hardly deserving of such a service upon this realm specifically. "My bed is not made, and no one came to dress me or feed me. It is lacking, yes?" he scoffed. No, there would be no such servants for him again. If things were to go the way he intended, the odds are he would not have a servant unless he paid a wench to tend to him.

Luna: She could hardly suppress a laugh that came at his words. To think that he was pampered as such, _dressed_ and _fed_ like a child... Spoiled, indeed. "Well, fortunately, you're no cripple, and you're perfectly capable of going without such commodities," she chuckled. All of his supposed independence had to have come to existence rather recently. "Are the servants at least rewarded in any way for the work they do?"

Loki: He pursed his lips in distaste at her first comment. "It is not whether I am capable or not, it is the matter that I was a Prince. And not only a Prince, but a prince and warrior of the highest realm within Yggdrasil. At least... that was what I was told for a good long portion of my life." He stated such facts as if he were speaking of another person entirely. "However, in answer to your question, the servants were repaid with a roof above their head and food upon their table. As long as they had their quarters within the palace, they need not of anything. Others serve as a light punishment and are fortunate to have such standing."

Luna: She raised her hands innocently, as if defending herself. "I'm not going to say anything, as it's not my realm and its ways may very well be much too different for me to speak of them with any sort of surety," she barred herself off from the topic. So, the servants were not entirely different from what they were like on Earth ages ago. She would not question very much of it, as he had grown up with certain beliefs that were most likely very different from her own, and they would come to a clashing of opinions. And such opinions were instilled on them since youth - understanding was possible, but there lacked experience which prevented them from grasping it all fully. They would've needed to have led similar lives, in similar environments, in order for them to not dispute about differences. "That does not sound far too bad, I suppose. Can they get fired or otherwise stop being servants?"

Loki: It was best she did not argue, as she would lose, he thought to himself with slight pride. "Servitude until death, as it goes," he replied simply. "I suppose they can be... 'fired', but that would also require them to be dead," he said with a shrug. "It does not sound very kind, no, but it is of the highest honor to serve the realm by serving the royal family. The Norns have treated them fairly, as when elsewhere their lives might have been far less useful."

Luna: She furrowed her brows. Perhaps, if they had such necessities taken care of, their lives were not as difficult as they could be. Of course, there was the entire aspect of having everything prepared, ready, cleaned, cooked and kempt, and that, on its own, should be quite straining. She supposed that if not the rest of the royal family, Loki, himself, had enough demands and needs to break a servant's back with all the work and effort. "I guess that's not that horrible. Then again, I wouldn't know," she shrugged. "And the families for which they work, do they treat them fairly?"

Loki: He shrugged, as "fair" was such a loose term and could be interpreted in multiple ways. He could not say that they were treated fairly, as that would imply that they were equal underneath them. "What would you define as 'fair?'" he asked, lifting a brow in curiosity.

Luna: She hummed as she searched for ways to define it in such a case. "Not belittled or treated as scum or disrespected without need," she said, her voice gaining a questioning tone.

Loki: He pressed his lips together thoughtfully. Servants were part of the lowest class, he knew, so they were below him. "I would say that they get what they deserve," he replied smoothly. "It may be belittling or disrespectful, but there is a punishment if they do not do as they are told without question."

Luna: "Which would be...?" she continued further, feeling as if this was all another story, even historical; not something that happens in actuality. She straightened her back as she looked at him curiously. What the servants do or do not deserve was partially subjective, as well.

Loki: "Whatever the noble who is being served deems justifiable, whether it be physical or with deprival of privileges..." he replied, inspecting her expression, seeing that she was quite curious. It was rather different from the way she was raised, the way that she was brought up. "Regardless of who or what they are," he added.

Luna: She wondered just what the privileges of servants could have entailed... Yet there was a more pressing thought. "You employ physical punishment to servants?" Even with the existence of 'servants' in the present day and age, the only punishment they would receive for neglecting their duties would be a lack of money or, in the worst case, loss of the job, itself.

Loki: "In some cases, yes," he replied with a nod. "Their duties are hardly difficult. If they require punishment, it is justified," he added, seeing the growing discomfort she seemed to have with the very thought of it. "You must understand, it is very different, Luna..."

Luna: How would he know if their duties were difficult or not? He'd hardly ever performed them, and so his words were guesses, at best. "I do understand, but it doesn't mean that I like it," she said. Asgard was something almost altogether alien to her, it would be foolish not to assume that some things were not as she would expect them to be, and not always favorable, either. "Are both men and women servants?" her questions hardly ceased.

Loki: "Indeed, they are. There hardly is any sort of discrimination for such things. Men and women equally serve as they are," he explained with a shrug. Both men and women would find themselves in the same position that they should serve, he knew. It would hardly matter.

Luna: "So... If both men and women equally serve, and are equally punished for the lack of proper serving," she recounted, trying to understand and come to further conclusions about his home, "does that mean that physically harming a woman in Asgard is not frowned upon?"

Loki: He frowned, knowing this, too, would be a sensitive subject, seeing her indirect question, as she may have well been fearing for her own sake. "In some ways, yes, and other ways, no..." he lingered off, looking back to his hands. "There can be an overly abundant amount of abuse, but I do not... enjoy such things. I do only what is necessary."

Luna: That told her hardly anything; even on her own planet, there are places in which such abuse is not at all considered strange, and then there were parts in which it was one of the worst things one could do. Of course, even in the latter, there were individuals who did not think very much about harming in such a way. The way he made it sound made her uneasy, still.

Her lips pressed together slightly as she glanced from his face to his hands and back up. Has he ever...? He had to have. He did not _enjoy_ it; that does not mean that he did not do it. Not to mention he had done plenty worse. "What _is_ necessary?" she muttered, this question more of a rhetorical one than anything else. She fidgeted with her hands slightly.

Loki: He shrugged, unsure of whether or not that was a question for him to answer. He had already explained that he did what he thought was just. "What I feel is best," he replied, not wishing to go into explicit detail to scare her, considering he could easily do that. It was true, he had physically injured a servant, but only as much as any other part of the royal family, considering that was what was expected. It was not as if the servants had no idea what was coming, as they did. "Regardless of what you feel, I hardly derive pleasure from intentional pain on another unless they deserve such things..." he lied easily, knowing if he said anything else regarding the abuse of servants, he would find himself never gaining her favor, which was the last thing he felt should happen.

Luna: There was the question of what he thought was best and what he thought they deserved... Perhaps the poor people truly did not deserve any such radical punishment, yet in Loki's mind, it was only proper... They came from very different places, and she could only hope that the fact won't lead to anything less than favorable. It did not bode well for her to be around him, she thought, as not only did his upbringing allow him to speak and act in a particular way, the fact that he was who he was allowed him even more freedom in that. "Very well..." she muttered, then tried to lighten the conversation before it tread even deeper into more dangerous waters. "Well, if ever I feel bad about my existence, I suppose I can be thankful for the fact that I'm not an Asgardian servant."

Loki: He smirked at her comment and nodded. "Even though you are mortal, and they, Aesir. So, even then, you are below them," he replied smoothly without much thought. He supposed she would find it offensive, but it was only a fact of the universe and of the Midgardians' existence. Asgard was at the very top of Yggdrasil for a reason, and Midgard close to the bottom for another. If she denied it, she only denied fact.

Luna: She looked at him with slightly narrowed eyes. "You know, there really is no need for you to repeat that every time. I'm very well aware of that fact," she said, crossing her arms. "Besides, it is not my fault I was born here and not there," she added. It was pure chance that the two weren't born in the same place... He could hardly blame her for being a mortal human.

Loki: He raised his hands innocently, seeing the glare in her eyes. "I am not Aesir, either," he replied bitterly. He decided it hardly mattered, however – he was still immortal and quite powerful, if he was going to flatter himself. "But if that fact was widely known there, I daresay I would be lowered to such status of a servant..." he scoffed. Another reason that returning to Asgard was the last thing he wished to do.

Luna: "I see..." she nodded slightly. So the Asgardians were not all aware of the fact that Loki was Jotun, instead... However, another thing drew her attention away from the topic. "You say "Aesir" in a way that I guess the Aesir pronounce it in their language," she chuckled softly. He seemed not to be aware of the fact, as it simply rolled off its tongue quite naturally.

Loki: He raised his brows slightly, knowing there was a difference, but the fact that she so quickly changed the topic also made him slightly more alert. "Ah, yes, indeed..." he replied lightly, with a small nod. "There are several other terms for the kind, I suppose. In tongues and dialects that are far from any Midgardian language, I daresay," he explained. "And most likely depending upon the status of the Aesir people within such other realms, might the terminology differ. I do believe your organization simply call them 'Asgardians.'"

Luna: "Yes, I'd say so," she nodded in confirmation. "Are the Aesir the only inhabitants of Asgard? Do the people of their realms stay in their realms or do they live elsewhere?" she asked what she thought might have been a silly question, but she would be safer asking than assuming.

Loki: "Yes, and no. Nobles of other realms often take up residence. Compare it with your embassies and other diplomatic measures. Diplomats of other realms get to live for short amounts of time upon Asgard, as, like several of your more developed countries, Asgard is the central realm. And then, there are those who take up permanent residence – mostly Vanir, I should say – though it is not such a frequent occurrence."

He did not go into subjugating Midgard without doing his own amount of research first. He may be less knowledgeable of the smaller, trivial parts of Midgardian culture, but he had the majority of their political regimes and organizations entirely sought out and he knew the workings of each and every one of them. Had he won, he would have known what strings to pull and where, in order to make his effort to centralize all of it, rather than keeping the hundreds of governments working to their own beat.

Luna: She uncrossed her arms and sank into her pillows, looking at him with quite an approving gaze. He did not seem like the sort to go unprepared, even if sometimes he either underestimated or overestimated that with which he was dealing. "Ah, so there are some similarities, I see. Though, in your case, I bet the entirety of it all is much better organized," she said. In theory, all should be working flawlessly - at least, it is intended to work as such - yet in praxis, everything was distorted, loopholes were bored, the guidelines faded and many did as they wanted to, regardless of the big picture.

Loki: "It has been running efficiently for thousands of years, long before I was even thought of, or perhaps even before the Allfather was conceived... One can never be certain. However, yes, we have survived with minimal wars and disagreements. The realms have been in relative peace for the past 2,000 years or so. That is, at least, until quite recently..." he drifted off, not wishing to go into detail of how he was the very core of the reason why the realms are no longer living in peaceful coexistence with each other... The realms, themselves, as he overheard the guards speaking within prison, are now questioning the very position of Asgard within Yggdrasil and the responsibilities it holds. Everything was changing rapidly, all because of an idiotic wish to confront an intrusion from Jotunheim. The very thought of it made his head whir with everything it came down into in regards of his state of existence.

Luna: "I can see why your realm is considered as superior... Such an aspect is so very important to successfully run a world without much difficulty," she shrugged. Not only that, but it required people firm enough to follow the way the things have been established for such a long time, people who would not question the manner in which all was constituted, and if they did, it would only be in terms of improving it. Theoretical running of a city, an area, let alone an entire realm, was all for nothing if the people did not maintain it. Clearly, if such a system had been effectively working for that long a time, surely the people knew what they were doing, and they've continued doing it in such a fashion no matter what. And it worked. It all worked; there, at least. Luna thought she might even feel rather odd if she suddenly came to a place in which things all functioned in the way it was intended for them to. Wishful thinking, she thought to herself. "Amazing.." she murmured, more to herself than to him, following such a train of thoughts.

Loki: He nodded passively again, running his hand through his hair as he tried to separate his thoughts from what was occurring right at that very moment. He sighed and leaned back onto the bed. "Yes, they are truly an amazing race... you may understand my... utter disappointment, putting it lightly, in finding I was not like them," he replied lightly, as if it did not affect him in its entirety, as if this was a silly fact, a statement that hardly meant anything, though in all reality was absolutely becoming the bane of his existence.

Luna: She looked over at him gently, and when she spoke, her voice matched. "Biologically, you are not like them, but you were raised an Asgardian, raised with the beliefs, opinions and convictions of the Aesir," she said with the lightest of smiles touching her lips. "That makes you like them, at least to some degree."

In her mind, she could have been born anywhere, by anyone, but if she were raised by an African tribe, in their manner, that is who she would be until she decided that, perhaps, she wished to be someone else. But the upbringing would remain, even if it was in the background. "And you are forgetting something, my dear - you are who you want to be, because you are everything."

Loki: He furrowed his brow as he looked over to her, his brows raised slightly at her comment that he could not have seen coming from her. How she seemed so intent on comforting him, even though what she said she could not possibly know. "That is untrue. I am not like the Aesir, and I have always known that, as have the Aesir themselves. You know it just as well as I," he replied quietly. "It is written in my blood. I have been raised and led to believe my entire life that the very beings to whom I have been conceived of are a race of monsters. And I tried so very hard... to prove that wrong, but in that I have only verified the fact..."

Luna: She began shaking her head from the moment he began speaking, wishing to disprove that which he was claiming. She knew no Jotun but him, and even so, she could not judge one by judging all, or vice versa. She could not tell him that he was not a monster, as he had done things monstrous, things she could not defend even if she wanted to - which she did not.

"But it is Odin's fault that you believe the way you do right now." She sat up from her pillows and faced him more directly, her eyes remaining intently on his. "The man may be the wise Allfather, but he failed massively in the fact that he took in a Jotun boy and then did not refrain from telling him stories of his 'monstrous race'," she gestured quotation marks with her fingers. "And not only that, but he didn't even stop at any point. Why he did not tell you earlier is beyond me," she sighed.

"I was always with the thought that if one adopts a child, they tell them as soon as they can." Perhaps Odin did not deem Loki old or fit enough to tell him, but in that, he made a mistake that backfired at him with such immensity that it managed to shake the rest of the realms.

Loki: He looked at her and then back to the bed, his finger tracing the patterns of the material he sat upon, wishing to disprove everything she said, but at the same time, what she said was justified. "Why would he?" he pressed, arching a brow. "If he knew from the beginning I could never be Thor, that I should figure it out on my own one day. Why should he care if I was never to be king in the first place? _He_ did not _'adopt'_ me... he stole me after he was already finished with a war. Perhaps that does not imply that he owes any justice as to tell me anything..." he scoffed with a shake of his head. "All I ever was to him were means, not a son. He believes he owes me nothing. And therefore, I owe him nothing."

Luna: She crossed her legs beneath her, dropping her gaze from him and to her lap as she thought upon his words, searching in her mind for a way to answer.

"If all is as you say..." she began slowly, carefully. "Then he is more than a negligent father, he is a negligent person. Please, do keep in mind that I am not speaking with experience, nor do I know the man, nor Thor.. I hardly know you, even, so my words are only in regards to that which I know and what I think," she said, immediately barring herself from anything he might tell her, anything potentially offensive that she might say. She sighed before proceeding. "I am not getting anywhere near nepotism, either," she added quickly.

She still thought that Odin adopted him, as he gave him a roof over his head, fed him, clothed him and raised him - slightly unsuccessfully - but raised him nonetheless. He did not leave him to die or to be found by someone else. And if he had told him of his parentage in time, perhaps there would not have been a dilemma of whether it would have been better if he died in the first place. "Still, I believe that as a proper being, he should have told you, if not because of owing - or lack thereof - then because it would be the right thing to do. And in that, he failed, too," she said, looking up at him again.

Loki: He only nodded, not wishing to dedicate any more emotion towards such a topic. He did not want her to see how heavily he felt about such a topic, reveal yet another side of him that was especially vulnerable. He pressed his lips together before looking at her eyes and then away. "Odin is highly complicated. I cannot begin to try and understand why he did it, so I won't, and even if I do, I will fail just as heavily as I have failed any other time." He scoffed and then slid back into his own silence.

Luna: She could see him slowly retracting from the entire ordeal and saying less and less every time he spoke. "Perhaps... But it doesn't do very good to dwell on it, I think. It is gone - it passed and there is not much you can do to correct it," she said, her words evoking many thoughts in her head - he cannot correct what was done to him, he cannot correct what he's done to others, and she... She could not correct her parents' deaths. It would not be healthy to keep it constantly in oneself as something that would do very little other than weigh down and pressure. It would be well to keep it as a light reminder, but it should not interfere in ways negative. Yet she knew as well as he that it was not simple at all. "I suppose the one thing we can do right now is get you out of here successfully," she shrugged. Whenever did she begin wishing him well?

Loki: This was not over, _this_ had not passed. If he was to go back to Asgard, _this_ would never end. "Yes," he agreed shortly. He knew there was nothing to change, not now... but there was still that lingering pain in the back of his head that was left over from the moment he found his very existence was only a thick mask, that everything he knew and held high was all an illusion. A beautiful illusion, yes, but hardly one that could be rebuilt once shattered. He didn't want to dwell on it but there were times when he knew he could not ignore it. It was like a continuous, loud throbbing in the back of his mind that can either be louder or quieter depending on the situation, but it was never completely gone.

Luna: She lowered her head and began rubbing her temples with one of her hands, marveling at the fact that they could so quickly snap from a conversation meant to be light to such topics which were so, so very delicate. She knew that her words had changed hardly anything within him - she doubted they even stirred at all - but perhaps there was a point to it, one where he knew just where she stood with the entire subject. She wished there was more she could say, something that would be more effective, something better, something wiser... But that would require more knowledge about it all, and she was unsure whether she wished to delve any deeper into this. Even if she did, she doubted he'd let her.

Loki: He did not like the silence, however, even though he knew it was one of the only ways of evading a conversation that he was not comfortable speaking of. He needed something to speak to her of, if not heavy matters. He only glanced at her and then glanced away, running his hand through his hair once more, making sure it was back in place, rather than hanging in his face.

"Is there anything more you wish to ask? Regarding Asgard, that is... Or myself, if you so wish it?" He found he enjoyed speaking of facts that he grew up with, the politics, the society. It was familiar amongst a realm of unfamiliarity.

Luna: There was always something that she would want to know of realms outside of her own - or even, of things concerning her own realm, yet from the eyes of another. However, there was one request that would most often come before anything else. "Can we practice magic?" she asked tentatively, as she knew how much it hurt him to do that - she hoped that she would be able to find it on her own again, so that his pain was minimal.

Loki: He considered it for a moment, knowing that he did not have to entirely use his own magic, taking into account that she was now somewhat capable of finding it herself. He pressed his lips together, and considered the fact that he would probably still have to help her, despite what she was doing. Regardless, he needed to rest for a moment, knowing they still needed to travel later on. "If you can find it yourself, then yes," he replied quietly. "I must rest."


	23. Chapter 23

Luna: "Can you, erm.. Can you guide me?" she asked, suddenly quite unsure of what it was precisely that she did when she came across the magic, on her own. Rather, it came to her, and she didn't know just what she did to summon it in such a way. She hoped with her entire being that it did not require such fierce emotions as wracked her that time.

Loki: He looked at her curiously, "Guide you? Did I not just mention that you should find it yourself?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Luna: "Don't be snappy, let me explain," she said calmly, shifting her weight on the bed into a more comfortable position. "It helps when you speak, you see," she said sheepishly after a small while.

Loki: He sighed, blinking a few times before finally nodding in agreement. "Very well," he replied softly, attempting to regain any sort of patience he had so he could go through with this.

Luna: She settled herself down as comfortably as she could, not wishing for any such hindrances as an awkward body position. She closed her eyes, listening to his low, smooth voice almost wearily uttering to her that which has already been said. It helped, however, as she slowly let everything out of her mind leave through ways other than her lips, allowing his voice to be the only thing that permeated her concentration, as it did not interfere with it - it aided, rather, melting into it. She listened to all of his advice, all of his words, trying to heed them and succeed as she once did. She reached out, feeling about the air, though not physically moving one bit, beckoning the energy, wanting it, needing it. It had to come.

Loki: He waited patiently, feeling for the magic that she was trying to beckon, merely wishing to see what she was going to do, and if she would be successful. He watched as she tried to concentrate on reaching out for the one thing that brought her unwavering joy. He could see it as she furrowed her brow, the way her lips sometimes curled up in self-satisfaction that she could even think about summoning magic. It was... enticing, to say the least. The fact she was so enamored made him slightly more pleased that not only was he fulfilling some part of his bargain, but he was providing her some sort of joy... He watched, still, as she continued feeling around for the energy she was pulling to herself slowly, but surely.

Luna: She wondered if Loki could feel what she was doing, wishing that he could give her at least some pointers as to whether or not she was accomplishing something in the first place, if she was getting closer or further away... She gave a sigh, not wanting to let such thoughts rattle her concentration, as she kept reaching out to the space around her, trying to tune her senses in order to successfully locate where the magic was. It could have been anywhere around her, but if she could not feel it, she will not be able to do anything with it, and that was also a thought she wished to avoid.

It was only the increasing straining of her body that alerted her to the fact that she was closer, sensing, feeling, finding. She exhaled almost sharply, relief threatening to flood her concentration, as well, and she ever so gingerly - as if treating a timid animal which would scamper off if she was not careful enough - called it closer, her hand instinctively raising to where she thought she felt it.

Loki: He was pleased she found it through other means this time, means of her very own, smiling slightly when she finally reached it and gingerly beckoned it forth. "Very good," he murmured, finding it within himself to be glad that she was so very happy. The way her expression lit up, her brows lifting, her back straightening. She looked, still, like she was dancing on thin ice, like one wrong move would cause it to disappear forever, causing her to feel the emptiness around all too strongly.

It was similar, he thought, to when he was learning magic, how he fought relentlessly to keep it in tact through nearly abusing his own body and working upon it until the early hours. Many take several days to do such a thing, but he only took a day. She only took a fourth attempt and a few days, but still...

Luna: She was glad for his praise. "Thank you.." she managed to murmur as she took hold of the magic, sensing there was more, but too afraid to pull any more within her grasp, fearing it might all shatter and leave her. Focusing, she entertained herself for several minutes, practicing getting a firmer hold on the thin tendrils she was grasping - her fingers furled and unfurled as she controlled just when she would let them dip into the magic and when she would let them curl around it and actually hold it as one would hold anything more concrete. But the energy was substantial enough for her; the smile did not leave her face, even though it flickered every so often as she felt the familiar fatigue slowly starting to creep up onto her. It came more slowly, she noticed, hoping that it would continue to become gradually slower the more she practiced.

Loki: He watched her curiously, keeping his thoughts to himself as she continued to try and perfect her holding of the invisible entity. "You may want to continue practicing," he noted out loud, knowing she could do very little with the magic until he attempted to teach her how to mold it to serve other purposes. "Before I begin teaching you other skills, you must be able to summon the magic easily so you might be able to shape it and replace what is lost more continuously when you do so," he explained softly.

Luna: She nodded, knowing what he said was true, and she continued trying to establish her hold on it as surely as possible. She did not yet feel comfortable letting it go and trying to summon it back, as she was scared that she would not be able to do the latter. Now that she had it, she would not let it go until she could not withstand it anymore. In the meantime, she would merely hold it and familiarize herself with it, in order to be able to find it again - knowing precisely what she was looking for would be of great help. "I will.." she murmured, wishing she would get over the uncertainty of doing anything with it, anything beyond grasping it. Perhaps she was being much too careful with it, but she did not want to lose it, especially when she was not sure whether she could retrieve it again.

Loki: She seemed to possessively latch onto it as if she would never sense it again, the way she tenderly studied it as if it was breakable within her hands. He frowned slightly, knowing that once she was able to summon it, she could very well do so again. "If you tire yourself now, you may be less obliged to find it again, Luna," he reminded aloud gently. "It is best to continue to summon it until you can do it without thinking..."

Luna: "Alright, alright..." she muttered, and with a breath with which she braced herself, she released the magic slowly and rather unwillingly. The anxiety was prodding at the emptiness in her mind and body, her heartbeat almost being louder than his words. She gave the smallest of shudders when she let it escape her hands; she breathed more slowly, more evenly, trying to ease the exhaustion that was preying just on the edges, hiding behind the magic. She opened her eyes slowly, taking a several minute break. "It came again," she smiled at him, satisfied. "Is it going to keep coming whenever I wish it to?"

Loki: "Yes, as long as you know how to summon it, it shall always be there. Unless, of course, you are cursed, such as I," he replied lightly. "In such a case, it may seem like there is absolutely nothing surrounding you, despite your knowledge of it doing so," he explained. "Eventually, dear, one simply begins conjuring it without thinking or straining. It will simply always be there, ready to tend to you."

Luna: "But you fought through the curse, and you found it," she smiled at him, his words rather encouraging. "Which reminds me - I'm very happy that you're teaching me this, and I'm glad that it is _you_ teaching me this. Considering your power, your knowledge of it... I do not think a more skilled teacher would be easy to come by," she said, stretching slightly, feeling for any soreness in her muscles.

Loki: He gave a very small hint of a smile at her quaint compliment, finding it almost entirely random. Still, he appreciated it very much so. There were very few who would ever give him any sort of compliment for his work, considering he advanced so very quickly in his skill that it scared the majority of those who would ever show she slightest bit of care away from it. "I am glad you are very committed," he replied in a voice inadvertently smaller than necessary. "Otherwise, this would have been a very difficult promise to keep..."

Luna: She was merely grateful that he even planned and wanted to keep the promise, knowing just how ridiculously easy it was for him to simply disregard it and go about his own business. "Frankly, I can't be anything but. Now that I know that I can do it, I'm going to perfect it as much as I possibly can," she said, determination more than evident in her voice. She was not about to let it sit and collect dust; no, she would exercise it to the limits, and then push the limits further, until one day, they would fade. She doubted they would be able to disappear entirely - no, that worked only in Loki's case, she thought, not her own. But she would do her very best to make them as negligible as she could.

Loki: He nodded, pleased that she pledged such loyalty to what she wished to learn and continue learning. It was much like him in that respect, not letting go until he had it perfect. Everything he wished to do would be done thoroughly. "That is very good to hear, Luna," he replied lightly, granting another small smile in her direction. "But you do know that once I am gone..." he added somewhat heavily, "That you cannot use magic in the midst of other mortals... Mortals are not supposed to be granted such... powers..."

Luna: "Ah, damn, you ruined my plan. I was going to get a job and earn my living doing party tricks," she chuckled. She would not use it around others, no... She would be beyond happy simply knowing that she possessed such an ability and use it on her own time. It will most certainly make what she has of her life a lot brighter and easier to manage. She was intent on getting everything out of Loki while he was still around, for, as he said, he will not always be there, and there is only so much that she can teach herself.

Loki: He smirked at her comment. "I apologize," he replied. "You could blame me if you do so wish to fulfill such a grand dream, but I shall be long gone, hopefully." He played along with her words, knowing that, ultimately, there would always be the chance that magic overtook her and she would bend to it, rather than the other way around. If such a thing happened, however, it would only be her fault as he warned her... If she does not heed such a warning, he would like to watch Midgard run itself into the ground like he knew it was destined to.

Luna: "Hopefully, indeed.." she said as she squirmed around, ensuring that she was prepared for another attempt. After all, the main goal of hers for now, as far as magic was concerned, is to learn how to access it more quickly each time she tried. It had to be done, as it was imperative, and without it, Loki could hardly teach her anything else; in either way, it would take rather slowly. It was slowly becoming a routine for her - get comfortable, fall silent, open up, wait and hope.

Loki: He nodded as he watched her straighten up and prepare to try again, as he asked her to. He was relieved that it could work like this now, at least for a little while. She would practice while he gave her no more than guidance through carefully placed words. He didn't know how to take her comment, however, and he toyed around with that for a little while.

* * *

Luna: Time passed in silent concentration and unspoken coaxing. She built up her concentration to the point where she lost any objective track of time, filling her mind with magic and nothing but it. As she had no indication of time, save for her own feeling, she thought the magic returned to her a little more quickly than the time prior.

She gave a content sigh as she felt it float back to her willingly. She toyed with it, trying at first to collect more of it - though it had no weight that she could feel, she could sense the amount she had in various ways, one of them being the more rapid draining of her energy. She did not want to tire herself out to the point where she'd be a burden for Loki to drag along, but she thought they might have just enough time left for her to recuperate enough.

After a while of her feeling it, gathering the stray bits that she found, she recalled the way Loki passed the magic to her and vice versa, and so she decided to try the same with herself. Once she was entirely certain that she had a firm hold on the energy and would continue having it, she began slowly seeping the magic from one hand to the other, having it traverse the empty area between her slightly separated hands. Excitement arose when she realized that she was not moving her hands one bit and letting the magic simply go where it may, but that she had, in fact, moved the magic, itself, willed it to move where she wanted it to.

Loki: He watched her changing expressions, its start a straight, contemplative expression that slowly shifted to that of pure joy. It was as if someone turned on an internal light within her, as her lips curved into a smile and even with her eyes closed, he could still see the bit of light within them. It was irreplaceable, he thought, knowing that he would rarely see such joy exuding from her, unless it was the courtesy of the magic. He did not notice it, but the corners of his mouth were twisting upwards in an odd sort of fascination and his own bout of joy.

She truly was beautiful, he mused to himself, in her own ways. She looked rather exotic, in comparison to the blonde women of Asgard, with her short stature and dark hair. But why was she attractive to him? She was a mortal, small and fragile, and she did not necessarily _like_ him... She was just like the rest of the mortals who wouldn't forgive him for what he had done. But she spoke to him gently and comforted him... If she truly hated him, she wouldn't have bothered, would she?

Luna: Despite the oncoming exhaustion, she wore a genuine smile on her face as she slowly moved the peculiar energy left and right between her hands, with time moving them further and further apart and having the magic traverse longer ways. It was an odd sensation - it was getting easier and easier with each time she moved it, yet her body acted as if she were doing the hardest thing in the entire world. She was having difficulty keeping her back straight, but she thought it the least of her problems; as long as she could do this, she would.

The magic seemed to falter during one of its journeys, refusing to heed her wishes and simply falling apart where it was. A frown instantly settled itself between Luna's brows, but she stubbornly summoned it back, regardless of the time and energy that it took. In the back of her mind, she thought she could feel Loki watching her, but this matter was more important.

Loki: He almost laughed in amusement as a look of frustration crossed her face when she failed attempting to make the magic go back and forth between her hands. It would have been inappropriate to do such a thing, he knew, as she was obviously trying to concentrate, but he found her visage impeccably amusing. "Careful, Luna," he chided lightly, "I don't want you to be disabled for when we have to leave..."

Luna: She pretended as if she did not hear his words for several minutes longer, but then she nodded, and with a sigh released the energy back to its usual place. She then opened her eyes and found his already upon her, and she gave a small, odd smile. "Amusing, am I?" she asked.

Loki: He found he was still smirking, and quickly hid it, somewhat embarrassed by his reaction. "You are," he replied stiffly. Why was he thinking of such things?

Luna: "Good," she shrugged, then laid flat on her back, stretching once again. "Not as bad as it could be, for the amount of practice I've done today," she said after she finished. "If I take it moderately like this, perhaps I'll even progress."

Loki: He nodded, finding himself taken aback by the abundance of thought he had concerning her attractiveness... He was partially in disbelief, considering he had never even thought in such a way in a very long time. Rarely had he even had time to consider a woman's attractiveness, and now that she was slowly becoming more than a piece of his game, that part of him quietly resurrected.

Luna: Still on her back, she folded her hands behind her head and turned it to look at him, a brief wave of confusion upon her features. His eyes flitted to her and away, time and time again, and she was almost entirely sure that he _had_ been looking at her when she was practicing. He was acting stranger than usual, she thought. Why? She kept looking at him, as he seemed uneasy. "Is all well?"

Loki: He shifted uncomfortably as she was looking at him, seeming to notice the amount of awkwardness that filled him. "Hmm?" he asked smoothly, acting as if nothing had happened. "Oh, no, everything is fine," he lied easily, shifting so that he was not most obviously looking at her again. "Just... thinking..."

Luna: "That's a dangerous pastime," she noted, turning her head to look at the ceiling, a pleased smile returning to her face. Oh, if she could connect with magic in such a way every day for the rest of her life, no amount of fatigue would be a problem. There was a question on her mind of what he was thinking about, but perhaps, it would be safe to assume that it regarded his near-future.

Loki: "It is," he agreed passively before leaning back. He looked warily back to her and then back to the blank wall in front of him. What had gotten in to him? He shuddered. He didn't even know what he wanted at that very moment. Why was he looking at a _mortal_ woman in such a fashion? Much less thinking she was anything like him? Perhaps they all were right... he _was_ insane.

Luna: Were it not for her utter bliss due to making some, however little, progress with the magic, she may have even noticed his discomfort and his growing awkwardness. She merely stared at the ceiling with a small smile playing upon her features. "What will you teach me first when I get a firmer hold on magic?" she asked after quite a silent while in which she reveled in her small success, turning her head to look at him.

Loki: He considered her question for a moment, pressing his lips together as he thought, trying to tear his thoughts away from what they tried to reach again and again. What _had_ gotten into him? "Levitation, possibly. With light objects... very light objects," he replied softly.

Luna: She blinked, rising slightly and propping up on her elbows. "Yes, please," she said enthusiastically, her smile growing into a full-blown grin. "That would be so incredible." She could not help but chuckle, beaming, almost impatient to learn such a thing. Oh, what she could do with such an ability... The possibilities hardly had an end.

Loki: He almost couldn't suppress his smile as she shot up in absolute joy at the very thought of it. It was almost as if magic was already within her. An amusing thing, she was. Never had he seen someone so very willing to learn as much as he tended to be, a student of the universe. "In due time," he replied quietly.

Luna: She nodded, and despite the tiredness placed upon her by the magic, she managed to feel rather restless, excited by this mere thought. She shifted her weight and sat back up, as if she was able to draw on physical energy just by speaking of that which makes her so, impossibly happy. "Tell me more," she requested. "You said light objects. On what does it depend if I want to lift up heavier ones? Is it just practice, or?" It was not _just_ practice, but fueled in such a way, she would hardly consider it tedious.

Loki: "With heavier objects, you must apply denser tendrils of magic... and your grip upon the energies must be stronger. My analogy of magic being a muscle still stands. The lighter the object, the less magic you require. Currently, you only hold very minimal amounts of magic, so we should start with pieces of parchment to begin with," he explained. "Or a feather or... anything light, really, that is around at the moment. We will work up until you can lift heavier objects, I suppose."

Luna: "Oh, this is going to be so _good_ ," she said, a purely joyous grin on her face as she looked at him elatedly. "Thank you," she said for the umpteenth time, bowing her head to him. Perhaps this entire deal was not for nothing...

Loki: He smirked and laughed at her. She was like a little burst of light, and every time he spoke of magic, he was only feeding the flame. "You are welcome," he replied, pleased to see her so happy. Never had she been so happy in front of him...

Luna: The deal she made with him was rather costly on her side, but things like these made her hopeful. She has given up more than her fair share for him, and with the peculiar effect magic had on her, she couldn't help but believe, at least for a little while, that she might just work everything to her favor - this fleeing would be over soon, and she and her new abilities would make a life elsewhere. Her brother would come with her and they would somehow manage everything; they've done it before, they shall certainly do it again. It was the first time in a long while that she felt _happy_ and felt as if things might just look up.

Loki: He smiled to himself, leaning back onto the bed as he ceased staring at her so as to not bring on suspicion. "You seem very pleased," he commented, raising a brow in her direction. He was glad, for as long as she was in a good mood, then everything would not be so terrible the rest of the day. "But you should rest," he added. "We should be leaving soon, yes?" he pressed.

Luna: She nodded, then promptly laid back down on her pillows, on her side, placing one of her arms beneath her head. "I am resting." She curled up slightly, feeling almost childish as she began musing about all the things she could use levitation for. She chuckled to herself when she thought how she might never get up again and instead use the magic to her convenience. This allowed for so many new things, she could hardly believe that it was she who was being granted such opportunities... She would grasp them and make the very best of them while she could.

Loki: He laughed at her childishness, enjoying every bit of it in his own way. "I see that," he replied lightly, watching her curiously. Why did this please him so? He blinked away the intrusive smile and then looked at the filthy white ceiling. He didn't even know what to make of this... this feeling. Why would he be feeling such a thing now? Of all times... It could have happened at any other realm, to any other woman when he could have regained his senses, but a mortal? He assumed it was only desperation and shrugged it off. It was true, he had not had a woman in his bed for quite some time, but... He tried to ignore all of it, pushing it out of his mind forcibly.


	24. Chapter 24

Luna: The rain did not continue falling that day; the clouds cleared out, giving way to a nearly blinding white, autumn sky. It had Luna spend most of their walk squinting in the bright light, and it took her quite some time to get used to it, after spending nearly an entire day in a room dimmed and with artificial illumination. The day was cold, and the wind kept trying to fill her bones with chill, but it did not succeed; all it managed to do was bite her cheeks until they flushed slightly, make her hair very cold to the touch, and sometimes even bring moisture to her eyes.

They walked and they walked, with Luna constantly trying to find a way more concealed so that Loki would not have to spend hours doubled over and embracing himself. She did not mind walking, yet they had to set a steady, quick pace - it would not do them any good to neglect or underestimate the organization at their heels.

The city to the northwest seemed much the same to her as any other they've visited. Grey streets, the only bits of color provided by flashing, neon signs or various stores with various merchandise. As the winter was nearing, most of the clothing stores offered clothes in monochrome, dull hues which would only add on to the gloom of the winter. Grey buildings, tall, short, wide, narrow, alleyways, rushing people, rumbling of the cars and a general atmosphere of staleness. It all looked so very similar, she was having quite a bit of trouble discerning one city from the other, save for, perhaps, the size and the amount of people on the streets. Whenever Loki was in disguise, she would glance at him every so often, partly out of the never ending curiosity at his shapeshifting abilities, partly out of checking up on his well being. She could not have him shift in the middle of the street... Oh, the chaos that would break out.

Several hours of meandering later, they entered a hotel that was again not much different from the previous one, nor the one before that. It was in a slightly shabbier part of town, she concluded, but the safety would be no issue - they were as safe there as anywhere, and the less people saw them, the better. Upon entering, her eyes landed upon a woman sitting behind the desk, her hair curly, her clothes an attempt of fashion, yet she was just as shabby as the hotel which employed her. She was chewing gum rather unsightly, she noticed, and was doing a crossword puzzle when they came in, paying them no heed whatsoever.

Loki: He glanced at the lazy-looking woman. After a long day of having to keep up his facade as they walked along, his entire body aching, he had no room to show any sort of pity towards the woman who looked at them in displeasure as she realized that she would have to actually do her job and get them what they asked for. He threw a glance in Luna's direction, seeing that she was no more pleased than he. Oh, Midgardians and their silly lives... She seemed to be chewing on something, he noted, making a snapping sound every few minutes at the same time filling the room with a disgusting sweet smell of a fake fruit.

Luna: She cleared her throat, not believing that she, in fact, had to do that to draw the distasteful woman's attention to them. Her eyes narrowed as she placed both her palms upon the desk. "Good evening," she said, earning no greeting in return, which almost deepened her frown. However, she smiled a bitter smile, masking it as politeness quite efficiently. "We'd like to rent a room for the night," she continued. Only now when she was standing in one spot for a time longer than several seconds did she realize just how sore she was from walking all that way. The woman looked up to them, her eyes moving lazily from him to her, and she finally put her puzzle down. Her voice was a lazy, elongated drawl as she informed them of the price.

Loki: Loki's own eyes narrowed as the lady made the exchange with Luna. How excruciatingly annoying, he thought, wondering just what had stepped on this woman wrong and dared to disrespect a customer of hers. This would have _never_ been allowed upon Asgard, especially not to those who are far above another. Sometimes he questioned how he could have lost to a group of imbeciles in the first place. If they were going to run this realm into the ground, he would at least know it wasn't his doing and he would willingly stand by and watch.

Luna: "Two beds, please," she added, glancing at Loki and his irritated features. She wished, at this point, that he would simply glare the aggravating woman until she broke.  
"We're outta those, only single bed and queen size," the woman retorted, all the while chewing her gum in the most obnoxious way, letting it mingle with her words. Luna rose her eyebrow, turning her head to look at Loki questioningly. They could find another hotel, in the worst case.

Loki: His eyes widened at the very thought of having to share a bed with her. "You can sleep," he noted under his breath with a shrug. He looked up to the obnoxious lady, hating the fact whatever she was chewing on distorted her words and shrugged, urging her to take it simply because he could not stand both the woman and the fact his abdomen felt as though someone's flaming feet danced upon it.

Luna: With a small huff, she nodded. "We'll have that one, then, I guess," she said and took the keys from the woman, unwillingly giving her the money required. She could only hope that the woman did not treat all of the customers in such a way, otherwise the money given to the hotel was absolutely undeserved. She would've liked to believe that the woman simply had a bad day, but she did not look like her state was temporary. Luna led the way to their room. "You're taking the bed, by the way," she said to Loki.

Loki: He frowned, glaring at the woman as they made their way past her. "No," he rejected bluntly. "It is yours," he insisted, holding the door open for her as she stepped inside and he followed suite. He walked inside while changing his form and placing himself upon the chair that was away from the bed, gesturing to it expectantly. He refused to move elsewhere, as he felt as if his own body was turning against him.

Luna: "I can sleep just about anywhere," she said, "Besides, not only are you tired, you're in pain, so you're getting the bed even if I have to carry you to it," she said, her nerves very slightly plucked at due to the woman who could not follow the basic, proper human conduct. She dropped her bag on the small table that occupied the room.

Loki: He smirked dully at her comment, seeing as how she was slightly less patient. "Now you are tempting me. I would like to see you try such a thing," he snickered, expecting her to make an attempt. He crossed his arms in a childish way of defiance.

Luna: She wished he had taught her levitation already - that way, she could have at least grabbed him by that long hair of his and led him to bed. "Loki, I'm not going to argue with you, you're taking the damned thing," she walked over to him, knowing that she could simply threaten to touch him and he might just move.

Loki: He glanced at her as she walked over to where he sat, her eyes glaring with no-nonsense, even though he had a line of snarky comments to feed her. He glared at her, daring her to move closer to him, not going to move unless he had pure incentive. "You should be comfortable," he insisted, "You are the lady, are you not?"

Luna: "Thank you," she said, "but I'm nowhere near the bad shape you're in, you need it more than I do." She met his glare with her own, taking the remaining steps it took to reach him, standing directly in front of him. "Come on, now. Please?" she looked at him, though her plea only partly reached her eyes.

Loki: "Oh, Luna," he scoffed, sizing her up and down as she stood directly at her. "If anyone were to walk in to such a conversation, it would look like you are coercing me for intimacy. Pleading, even," he said with a small smirk. "As many a woman have," he added slyly, knowing that would at least partially dissuade her, as such flaunting of his knew to do.

Luna: She could not stop an incredulous laugh from escaping her. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. "If it gets you to bed..." she said, irony clinging to her every syllable. "Full of yourself, you. Now get up," she demanded.

Loki: "Is that a promise?" he asked smoothly, arching a brow at her, knowing that, in all odds, it would never happen. But this was too amusing for him to resist.

Luna: Was he serious? She did not know whether to yell at him or just burst out laughing. The laughter, however, prevailed, as she could not believe the situation she was in momentarily. The stubborn man will not have the last word, she thought. It was plain to her that he was playing right now, even if he wanted the bed, he would have refused it time and time again, out of mere spite. "Oh, yes, absolutely. Now or do you need to catch your breath a little, hmm?" she retorted. He truly needed the rest more than she did, as he's been under relentless aches for a while now, and as far as she could gather, he did not sleep all that much lately. His needs far surpassed hers.

Loki: He smirked, amused to see that she was going along with it, even if he hardly meant it... and even if he did. "I shall keep that in mind, then," he replied smoothly, though he still did not move. He crossed his own arms, knowing he could very well win this, even if, in the end, he did want the bed. His body needed to rest, if anything.

Luna: He seemed pretty set, she thought; he dug his heels in yet again and he would not move. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Then, with her eyes still on his, she leaned closer to him, letting the fingertips of one of her hands skip down his arm lightly, though with enough of a loose grip to try and lead him to get up. Not a full second later, her other hand mimicked the gesture down his other arm. If anything, it should get him to try and distance himself. "Come on," she said a little more quietly. "You need the rest and you know you do."

Loki: He could see in her eyes what she was trying to do, making a move in his direction simply because she knew that he would not favor her touches. And he didn't. He tensed, his head and back straightening regardless. He glared at her, wishing that this was not such a weakness of his. He nudged out of her grip as he tried to lean himself away from her, but ultimately, there was nowhere to go. When he was entirely out of her grasp, so as to not push her to touch him any further, he slid out of the chair and moved to sit upon the bed. "Minx," he muttered, continuing to glare.

Luna: The moment he was out of the chair, she took his place and crossed her legs, trying to suppress the satisfied smirk on her face. It was not right of her to use such a thing against him, but it was only a matter of getting him to do what he in fact _wished_ to do. This simply spared them some time, and quite possibly an argument. She exhaled softly as she sank into the chair. She looked at him, pleased, politely smiling. "Better, no?" It did not even occur to her to share the bed with him, though it was large enough. It would simply not do.

Loki: He didn't answer her, laying back into the bed, wishing he was not so vulnerable. He scoffed. Having to give up what he thought would be an act of courtesy, simply because he was in pain and because she was touching him. _Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic_ , he thought with a grimace. The bed was comfortable, but he did not need it. He furrowed his brow, wishing that he could just simply forget all that happened, making him seem like a child, just as she had called him before, and no doubt would continue to call him.

Luna: "Don't be upset..." she said after a while, looking at him from her place. "I would have taken the bed if I truly had any need for it, I assure you. But it is better this way, and perhaps, at some point, we could switch, if it would make you feel any better," she offered, though she doubted it would come to that. She could make herself quite comfortable where she was, and as she was small, she did not need very much room for comfort at all.

Loki: He sighed, continuing to ignore her as he looked at the ceiling. He was upset, and it was not because of the silly bed. He was very tired of being considered weak. He shut his eyes, huffing as he rolled onto his side, away from her. Had he not cared so much, he would have made the suggestion she sleep upon the bed, as well, but the bed was not large enough to even consider the fact she may not accidentally lay too close to him in sleep.

Luna: She fell silent, as it was evident that he would continue with his own silence. If his stubbornness did not win him this bit, it would win him another one. She rose from her chair, however, wishing to bathe and eat something before she fell asleep. It would not help if she tried to sleep hungry, and a combination of a hot, unwinding shower and a full stomach would certainly lead her to sleep more quickly. The fatigue was just waiting to pounce on her, and she'd make it easier for it to. Before she went into the small bathroom, she left him some food and water on the night stand, should he wish for anything. She doubted his pride would let him accept, but her offer stood.

Loki: He eyed the food she laid out upon the bed stand, looking like it was far too much for her, so it meant it was for him, as well. He curiously rose and looked upon the food, seeing that it was some sort of snacking food, what they would call crackers. He cringed with distaste and replaced himself upon the bed once more, waiting for her to leave the shower... He was not entirely tired just yet, unlike what she assumed of him – and unlike he initially thought, himself. He laid with his arms folded behind his head, and he looked out the window, seeing that the town seemed to be asleep.

Luna: Half an hour later, she came out of the bathroom, fresh and feeling both light and heavy in the same instance. She spared a glance for Loki and the food he did not touch, but then quickly returned to the thoughts that have been occupying her mind for the past several minutes. The food supplies were dwindling and it would not go amiss for her to visit a store before they left this place, to restock, just in case. She never knew just what might happen to her bag that gets all of the things she brought lost or somehow irretrievable. She sat herself in the chair, pulled her knees up to her chest and placed her chin upon them, considering what she could buy that would not go stale or inedible, where to buy it, how much... Her gaze was distant, and it was upon Loki, boring through him rather than settling upon him.

Loki: Loki was filling his thoughts with all the possibilities concerning the issue of the next day that was before them, as he normally did when his mind was idle. His body shifted such that his back was against the headboard, his legs crossed in front of him. He looked about the room as his mind was in that state of thought and then tensed, realizing she was very well staring at him. He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "I realize I very well might be the most interesting creature to walk the face of your realm, but do not think for a moment that I wish to be observed as such," he spat.

Luna: She blinked in mild surprise at the sound of his voice, and more importantly, his words. She was, indeed, staring at him, she noticed, but now, her eyes actually focused on him as she met his own gaze. "I was looking _through_ you, not _at_ you," she retorted with a small frown. "Don't flatter yourself..." she added, looking away.

Loki: He scoffed. "Flatter myself?" he repeated, rolling his eyes. "You mortals and your assumptions that everything I do is in pursuit of flattery and pride. You think I need the validation from such puny creatures as yourselves?"

Luna: She looked back at him immediately. She truly was not staring at him, and she wished he would stop bickering as such at every chance he gets. "I'm sorry, but... Us, mortals and _our_ assumptions?" she raised her brows for a moment before gathering them in a frown again. "And what about you and _your_ assumptions of mortals? Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you even know anyone around here but me, enough to make such generalizations? I mean, sure, a lot of them are what you deem them to be, but..." she shook her head, irritation sparking in her gut.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes. "I knew your petty Avengers much better than they might have known themselves. I observed your realm and all who inhabit it long enough to make the accurate assumption that you are a predictable and dull race. Do not take my small understanding of your silly, idiotic societal customs as foolishness or lack of knowledge," he scoffed, rising so he was directly facing her, his feet on the ground.

Luna: The moment he straightened up, she did, as well, her hands placing themselves on the armrests and slightly digging in with the fingertips. She very nearly stood up, yet she prevented herself from it, having no reason for it. In fact, there was little to no reason for this entire thing, either, but her increasing anger led her on. "Be that as it may, take into consideration the fact that you are placing me in the same basket, and as far as I've gathered, the amount of things you guess correctly about me is about equal to that which you fail to guess."

Loki: Her words sparked a peculiar anger within him. He did not like to be spoken to as such, especially not by a mortal. Why should he let her speak down to him in such a way? He scowled and his hands curled tightly into fists to refrain from doing anything rash. He would have never allowed one of such lower position to argue with him, and why should he make an exception now? "How dare you speak to me with such a lack of understanding? You are very much a mortal, and you are within the same category, just as the rest of them are. All of you are beneath me, no matter how much you like to believe otherwise."

Luna: She had to remind herself to keep taking breaths more even, not to let herself be pulled into this... To no avail. "The only reason I don't have such an understanding is because you refuse to give me it," she said, and though she felt such growing anger exuding him and reaching her, she did not move a muscle, save for the slight narrowing of her eyes as her stare hardened on him. Oh, what a reminder this was of just how fickle he was.

Loki: He glowered, a noise similar to a growl escaping him. "And why should I grace _you_ with such knowledge, hmm? You, a little Midgardian, mortal girl," he spat. He could see her growing anger, but he dismissed it easily, knowing there could not possibly be any harm.

Luna: She could feel the heat climbing up her body more quickly than she would have liked, courtesy of the anger he kept stoking. She held the answer very clearly in her mind, yet was reluctant to let it leave the confines. Oh, she was a little Midgardian mortal girl, but... "Because you have nobody else," she seethed through gritted teeth almost inaudibly. It very nearly pained her to say it, and still she was unsure of whether she should have...

Loki: How right she was... he truly had no one else. That thought seemed to be set aside into the back of his consciousness for a long while. That alone continued to spark the anger that he felt, the anger that continued to throb in the back of his mind, and now it was too loud in his head to ignore. "Perhaps I do not _wish_ for such pity if that is what fuels such a craving for _understanding!_ I do not wish to be lowered to such a level, especially not in the eyes of a silly mortal!" he barked, glaring down to her.

Luna: She did not notice when she rose, but she held her ground firmly, despite his persistent, loud anger that wished to shove her back. Her hands clenched in tight, almost quivering fists. She did not like yelling. "And has it ever occurred to you that it would _not_ be lowering you?" The restraints were falling apart quickly, her own upsetness tearing at them viciously. "You have shoved these incredibly halfwitted ideas in your head and you cling to them so desperately and pathetically, as if they would spare you the pain! Just look at yourself and all you've been through, how can you be so oblivious to the fact that it doesn't help, no matter how much you convince and lie to yourself!" she glowered at him, pushing back the stinging in her eyes; she would not cry. Not because of this.

Loki: It was at that moment that he noticed how harshly his hands were curling into themselves, his fingernails now leaving faint, red, crescent marks upon the white palm of his hand. Her words perturbed him. Desperate? Pathetic? With a movement so swift he barely had time to register what he was doing, his fist unfurled to a flat hand as raised it, very close to coming in contact with her flushed cheek. It took him a moment, but he eventually saw what he was about to do, as she looked at him with tears brimming, her face turning a brilliant red as she seemed to be fighting herself not to cry. He let his hand drop after several moments, his eyes looking to it in slight disbelief and then back to her, immediately scowling. "Do. Not. Speak to me as such," he reprimanded coldly.

Luna: Her eyes widened the moment his hand rose to strike her, and she instinctively took a step back, even though he lowered it not a moment later. That small, but fierce pang of fear and panic she felt the second she saw him do that made the tears well up in her eyes more rapidly than she could have stopped them. With a single blink were they out; her heart thudded so loudly and mingled with her thoughts, creating a tumult almost unbearably loud in her head. Her anger pushed the fact that he _would_ do such a thing out of her head, and now she was deprecating herself for even daring to forget something so very important. She was as lowly to him as a servant, another thought sounded, and she... She shook her head, her eyes still on him in needless surprise and considerable hurt. Without a word, she turned around and strode out of the room, shutting the door behind herself.

Loki: He watched in stunned silence as she stormed out of the room, tears still flowing. He winced when she slammed the door, finding himself very much so alone in the empty room. He remained still for several moment, staring at the door in front of him, his hands curling into fists as he stood in disbelief of what just had occurred. He debated for a long while whether he should go after her, but only found himself facing the window, sitting upon the chair with his head placed onto his arm, wondering how everything could have gone so very wrong, so very fast.

Now he had done it. Now he had ruined any sort of chance he had with becoming any sort of friend to her. Maybe that was him lying to himself, as she said to him. No, why would anyone want to be anywhere close to him? Even if it was a mortal... He stared into the dark night, wondering at what point his life started to descend.


	25. Chapter 25

Luna: She lingered in front of the door for several minutes, inhaling and exhaling, furiously wiping at her eyes. She needed to leave, but she could not have the disgusting woman from the lobby so much as look at her questioningly. Ensuring her face was dry, though there was nothing she could do of the redness, she had to stop herself from blatantly running outside; she reined in her steps and exited the hotel as calmly as she could, though there was such raging within her that she could not control. The cold air hit her face in a way most refreshing, as she felt as if she were burning up from the inside, and she gulped it down gratefully before starting down the street. She was unsure of where she was going, if anywhere, but there was distance to be put and nerves to be calmed.

She was not petty, she was not silly... His words rang in her head with almost as much loudness and bitterness with which he uttered them. Her vision started blurring once more as another wave of tears came, but she dabbed them away before they could drop.

Loki: He wondered where she planned on going for a brief moment, as he heard the steps echoing while they diminished down the hallway. She would not possibly leave him after only one little spat, would she? He did not harm her... Not physically, at least. He swallowed, slight nerves showing up that she could very well just walk away and make him fend for himself from then on. Alone. But even then, the very thought of having to be as such sparked a sort of distress within him. At that point, if she gave away what was going on to S.H.I.E.L.D, she would be just as punished as he would be, so he had confidence that she would not... But if she simply left him... He frowned, noticing a peculiar stab in his chest at the very thought. He did not want to be alone. Not really.

Luna: As though devoid of all senses, she did not hear, see, or take any notice of a group of men stepping behind her, until all too suddenly, she found herself surrounded by three of them and being ushered towards an alley before she could even react. Frantic, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she became highly aware of what was going on. She began looking about her, seeing nobody in sight, and nothing but her own hands to defend herself with. They called out things to her, so lewd and disgusting that she tried not to cringe.  
Too soon, she was backed up against the wall, and the three were getting far closer than necessary, setting panic to her entire being, panic that she fruitlessly attempted to keep in check. Frenetic, she did not understand how she didn't acknowledge the danger before it was upon her. 

The second one of them laid a large, hairy-knuckled hand on her waist, she snapped and began throwing punches and delivering blows where she could, arms, legs, anything she could reach as her mind scrambled to not lose coherence. Her hands hurt with the force, and to her even greater frenzy, another pair of hands grabbed her and restrained her. Her arms quite disabled, she did not refrain from trying, and trying and trying; this time, she stomped at what feet she could, before lashing out and kicking the one in front of her. However, there were three of them and one of her, and she was subdued quickly. She was frightened, never wishing for Loki more than she did at this very point. The hands on her felt too heavy, too alien, too unwanted.

Loki: The room was relatively quiet, except for the occasional audible footsteps on the floor above. He knew very well that Luna was most likely outside already, running as far as she could in the short amount of time she had been missing from the hotel room. He rose out of his chair with that train of thoughts.

He needed to get her back, to at least attempt to apologize, and if she did not accept it, then he would know that all his attempts were in vain and that distance was indeed in order. He walked quickly down the winding hall and into the lobby, ignoring the ignorant woman at the desk, who seemed much more dedicated to her cellular device than anything, and finally, out of the hotel. It was a relief, he knew in the back of his mind, as he had not the power nor the desire to change into his other form. There was no one along the streets, for the hour was late and there would be no one to bother him. He picked up speed immediately, listening for a noise of any sort that would indicate where she had gone. What he heard, however, was a far away bustling, along with the sounds of several men who called out lewd comments, plainly intended for a woman.

His heart dropped and he sprinted towards the source, glancing through every street he passed until he came to an alleyway. He threw a look down its dead-end, only to see three men grouping around Luna, who was restrained, her free limbs flailing about as she tried to prevent the incoming proximity of the men. He cleared his throat, placing his hands behind his back as he summoned his knives. He took the attention away from Luna, though their arms still pinned her to the wall.

"Good evening gentlemen," he said calmly, surveying the scene that he knew would be all too easy to get rid of. "I suggest you let her go." More vulgar comments were thrown at him, regarding the fact that he had an apparent "accent" and that he was thin and scrawny, therefore no match. He shook his head in false incredulity. "I am warning you now, good gentlemen, that if you do not let her go, she shall be the last shred of warmth against your bodies."

Luna: The more the men crowded her, the more frantic her struggles became; what was left of the rational part of her mind knew that she was simply wasting her energy for no good reason, as there was hardly a way for her to get out of this unscathed. However, once she heard a familiar voice, her limbs very nearly gave out, and if she was not held so firmly against the rough, brick wall, the relief might have just brought her to the ground. She froze, along with the three men, though their grasps did not loosen one bit. If anything, they began laughing at what she knew was simply feigned politeness, in order to escape bloodshed.

One of the men, a large thing, almost the size of a boulder, grabbed Luna's arm and yanked her away from the wall, twisting her arm behind her back and using his other arm to wrap it around her shoulders as he pressed her against him, almost like a human shield. She felt the appalling scent of alcohol wafting about him, and her face scrunched up in massive distaste; his meaty flesh pressing so closely to her back only served to worsen it all. She looked at Loki with incredible gratitude, though with just a tinge of desperation underneath, for she needed the touching to stop instantly. Nevertheless, she had an overwhelming feeling of safety, despite the position she was in. The still present relief shook her.

Loki: The laughing did not cease and he only sighed as they bent her about like a rag doll. He hated seeing her like this, being so thoroughly used when she was still very strong. "Suit yourself," he resigned and then set things in motion faster than the men could react.

He threw two knives at the men who did not restrain Luna, making them keel over from the very force of the blow – a clean cut into the center of their chests, directly to the heart. He then sprang forth quickly, ripping Luna easily out of the grip of the other man whose eyes widened in shock. Loki placed Luna at a safe distance first as he approached the other man. He grinned at the man when he seemed to have a short sort of recognition in his face of who, exactly, was about to kill him. Being at least a few inches taller than the more portly of men who stank of alcohol, Loki cleanly snapped his neck and then dropped him to the ground.

He wiped his hands of the grime that the man seemed to have covering him, and then continued moving, working to further clean the scene. He bent to tear the knives out of both of the men's chests, and wiped them clean with the cloth of their shirts that were not drenched in red and the knives disappeared easily. He glanced to see that there was a dumpster at the end of the alleyway, and then looked at Luna who still looked flushed and teary-eyed from before.

Luna: She was backed as far away from all of them as she could. Her arms burned where the man had held her with a force quite bruising. The pain was distant in her mind, however, as she watched Loki so swiftly and cleanly take the lives of all three. She watched everything transpire as she replaced herself against the wall, this time in support of her trembling legs. Her eyes flitted from one to the other, over and over again as she took in their features more clearly, now that panic was slowly dwindling, and the dark stain which grew a wider and wider circle around the knives that bloomed from two of them. This was not the first time she had seen dead bodies - she worked for S.H.I.E.L.D, and though her branch was not one to come in close contact with such matters often, it was known to happen.

She continued staring, her eyes unable to tear away from the corpses, as if mesmerized. Thoughts and emotions nearly overwhelmed her as they switched between panic as to what would happen to the bodies, to the pain that seared through her torso when she moved her arm, to incredible relief and wonder what might have happened if Loki didn't arrive, or even if he arrived later. So many impressions piled up on her as her eyes still flickered about before finally settling on Loki, himself. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noticed that he was in his true form, and once again a pang of fear hit her, mingling with guilt and shame that she led them both to such a situation. In truth, she was more shaken by the remnants of the sensations of the men's large, filthy hands upon her than of Loki's killing. It did not reach her yet.

Loki: He dragged each of the bodies into the large bin, covering the stains of blood with dirt so if one would only look down the alleyway and see emptiness rather than a murder scene. He made his way back up to Luna who seemed to but stand there, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. "Are you hurt?" he asked briskly, as he was very angry that she would so willingly walk out of a hotel room and make herself so vulnerable in such an unbalanced state of being.

Luna: Her eyes followed his every single movement, her mind struggling to grasp the fact that those were human bodies that he handled with such ease. She could not help but observe them as discarded dolls and puppets, limp and pliable. So many impressions washed across her that her mind merely went numb, blank with trying to process everything that has happened since the moment they began raising their voices at each other. She still felt her skin tingle where the men had touched her, and she shuddered, trying to push the feeling away, for it disgusted her so... She tried not to flinch from the tone of his voice as she straightened up, forcing some stability to both her body and her voice. "No," she said shortly, though her arm felt quite a bit sore.

Loki: He sighed, shaking his head, looking at her with scrutiny to ensure that she was telling the truth. "You should not have left the building at," he scolded, his brow furrowing as he continued to return her gaze. "That was unwise."

Luna: She nodded. "I know." She found that a part of her wished that he would decide to go on without her, that this event made him realize what an imbecile she was and that he would not risk her getting them into such situations again. Yet despite the massive amounts of embarrassment that coursed through her, making her wish she were invisible so that she would not have to feel his disapproving glare on her, she felt just as much gratitude that he came looking for her in the first place. And then, there was slight anger, still simmering in her... She should not have left the building? A sigh escaped her. "I would not have left if you did not… do what you did," she muttered.

Loki: He sighed, knowing that to be true, but his glare did not let out. He considered apologizing, but the fact she put them both into possible danger only made him angrier. He dismissed it, considering he did almost strike her, something she would not have liked at all. He lowered his eyes. "I know," he replied quietly, looking back at the alleyway to double-check that they were not being watched and there was no evidence remaining of what had. "Let us leave... you need to rest," he insisted, though _he_ needed the rest, himself. Enough had happened in one day.

Luna: She nodded in agreement, following him back to the hotel room, along the way combing through her hair with her fingers and straightening her shirt, a shiver crawling up her body with the memory of the men's crude touches. She did not know how to feel, and even that fact brought even further, mixed floods in her. They argued, he yelled at her and belittled her, he almost _slapped_ her - she had every single right to be infuriated with him and cease all contact. Yet he saved her just now from who knows what... And that, alone, meant that she owed him at least her gratitude, if not her life. But such a situation would not have come to existence had he not acted as such. She retained her silence as they walked.

Loki: He knew that she was still angry at him for what were possibly proper reasons. He had to apologize to her, or give at least a reason why he saved her and not let her die or be humiliated in what could have also been rape. He always had a distaste for those who lacked in the art of seduction, and it was for that reason and that alone he killed those men, rather than simply scaring them off. He would not see Luna exploited in such a fashion, taken advantage of. He had done enough of it already, but that gave no one else permission to do the same. He still pressed his lips together as he opened the door for her. He continued his silence as he walked over to lay onto the bed, his back to her.

Luna: She stood in the room for several long, silent minutes, her stare almost empty, though her mind was threatening to overflow, as if there was hardly any room for all she felt at that moment. The room, itself, seemed smaller, as well, what with the tension coursing through thickly. Her eyes were on the ground, and as she moved to the chair, she felt as if her movements were mechanical. She settled herself upon it before her legs gave way to her weight, and she curled up in it, not paying very much heed at all to the comfort, or lack thereof. What happened replayed in her head over and over again, the moment it reached the present moment, it would go back to the beginning, from when they began arguing, the things they've said, how they've said it, the impossible anger she felt and the stab of fear as he raised his hand, and not just his voice... The area around her eyes tightened slightly as she thought about it, time and time again, with each time being granted a new detail her mind only now recalled, after it had been over.

Loki: He curled up on his side as he could nearly feel the amount of discomfort that she had radiating off of her. He knew she might not even speak to him for a very long time. He had to make it up somehow, but he stood in his viewpoint. It was true, he did not wish to slap her, but it almost felt... like he had to, if only to get her to stop speaking. He felt the feeling of... guilt? He felt guilty for attempting to wound her, even after he promised not to harm her? He was the god of lies, after all, so she should feel ridiculous for trusting him, but wasn't it he who was getting tired of not having any sort of trust? He eventually laid on his back, his head turning to the side. "I believe our time here has been shortened," he muttered nonchalantly.

Luna: "As soon as you're ready..." she said quietly, not moving from her spot. She began shoving thoughts and memories of the past hour as far away as she could; if she kept thinking about it all, she would not find within her the strength enough to move, but rather stay in one place until she recuperated and felt more prepared to go on with what was now her life.

Loki: "I don't believe I can at this very moment..." he replied quietly. He was somewhat glad that she was speaking to him, knowing it was better than being ignored. He still had a dull ache in his abdomen from having to change earlier. He needed to rest and so did she. They were far enough away to afford such a thing.

Luna: The quiet sound that escaped her was indifferent, blank as her stare. The thoughts kept returning; all annulled each other... He shouted - but he saved her life. He very nearly hit her - but he saved her life. He spoke disrespectfully, and so did she - and once again, he saved her life. She did not like how frustrated it made her, the fact that she had almost no basis on which to be angry with him, all because he decided to go after her. "Why did you come for me?" she asked almost inaudibly, her gaze averted. All the things he said did not find their source in his anger. It was just a conduct that had him freely say that which he most definitely believes about her. So why would he come?

Loki: He attempted to gather the facts that he knew. Why did he come for her when he could have easily been rid of her, but not by his own direct doings? Granted, he did send her running out to begin with, but it was not he, directly, who’d have taken her life… Others would be blamed and he would have been free of her burden. He was close enough to the border that he could easily figure it all out. So why did he? He ran his fingers through his hair as he stared up to the ceiling, attempting to gather his thoughts. "Because you were in danger," he replied simply, knowing there was much more to it than that.

Luna: Though her mind sent commands to her body to move, she could not will herself to. She merely rested where she was, gazing at nothing in particular. "You didn't know that," she answered.

She was careful with her questions, as she knew so very clearly how quickly all could go downhill, no matter the previous or even current state of matters. Even if he did know, why would he care? Why would he go outside, risking his usual form, to push back the danger when he could have so easily been rid of her? It should have been evident to her, judging by his words, that he truly could not care less. As far as she was concerned, he did not - perhaps he still needed her for mere technicalities of his escape, and only saving her life to have a higher chance of saving his own. "Thank you for coming," she said a little hoarsely after a while.

Loki: He made a noise in reaction to her words and nodded, but said nothing more. He only looked at the ceiling. He would never admit to the fact he saved her because he did not want to be alone. She could assume all that she wanted to assume, but never would he show yet another vulnerability to add onto the list. She might not even believe him, assuming that what he did was out of complete selfishness, which... it was. But he did not want to see her dead... or humiliated. And that, in itself, startled him.

* * *

Luna: Blush crept up to her cheeks and warmed there the moment she thought about the fact that he's seen her in her weakest not once, but many times. Things seemed to turn against her, align in such a way that would bring her to cry around him, let just about everything get the best of her. She despised it. Seldom in her life did she care about whether or not she would look weak in front of people, and she seldom had a reason to be weak or show it in the first place. And now, she was with a man who already thought her many things, none of which she liked - weak, most of all - and it simply happened so that she would prove herself even more so than he thought. What a disappointment she must have been. And yet, she was not trying to leave a good impression, as it ultimately did not matter - she wouldn't see him ever again, and the sooner that moment came, the better.

Loki: The accursed girl, he thought repetitively. She was sneaking up to him and wrapping herself around one of his fingers and holding on for all she was worth. He didn't want to see her dead, he added on to the many thoughts. And why not? Did he not want to kill her if she did not come with him? Has he not flexed his own power over her many a time only for her to remain with him? He could have very well been without another for a very long time. He could have gotten along even without having to face Midgardian society. He would venture around forests until he worked up his power again. He would make sure he was lost to the world before becoming lost to Yggdrasil altogether.

He thought of all of the things he could have done without her, when she was dead, but none of them seemed to appeal to him anymore. Not like it did before. He shuddered, angry at the thought that she was slowly becoming his weakness and she probably still hated him. He _had_ to apologize, he added to his thoughts. If he did not, she'd be lost forever. But the night only drifted on and he found himself lost within the places of his mind, no apology or rest to be found.

Luna: With her head leaning against the armrest, she curled up into the chair as tightly as she could. She doubted that she would be able to sleep, despite her body almost begging for it; what she could do is close her eyes and focus on her breathing, let it try and overpower the rest of her thoughts so maybe, just maybe, they would back off long enough to let her fall asleep. The second she closed her eyes, a tear that had been gathering up until that point without her realizing dropped out, rolling down her temple and into her hair. She drew in a deep breath, covering most of her face with her hand. She wished that he wasn't able to look at her, and closing her eyes, thus not seeing anything, herself, helped her feel just a hair more invisible.

Things changed in such a rapid pace, one she did not like. She could but hope that they would soon turn to good again - she would enjoy it while it was present, but she knew now to always expect something unfavorable to happen, simply to keep the scales even. Her happiness of the previous day seemed so very distant, so very strange. She did wish to be on good terms with him, she did, but it was as if everything worked its hardest to make it as impossible as can be.

Loki: He could not continue like this. Not with her. He inhaled sharply to relieve the bitterness he still felt regarding the words she spat at him. Desperate. Pathetic. The reason why they wounded him so greatly was most likely because he knew them to be true. He was desperate because he only wanted to live... Why he wanted to live was a question on its own. Pathetic? Yes. She made him feel very pathetic, especially at that moment. However, the silence was hardly doing any justice for either of them. "Luna," he began, though he was unsure what, exactly, he was going to say.

Luna: His calling came unexpected, and her hand dropped slightly as she opened her eyes and looked over it tentatively at him. "Yes?" she answered. She did not like the way her heart began a new race when he called for her, as though it had a more important place to be than with her; who knew what he was going to tell her now? Would he continue his berating from earlier, ensure she knows good and well just how idiotic she was for both her words and actions, just how far below him she was? Or, perhaps, that he doesn't want her around anymore? That he had enough and that he would prefer to continue on his journey alone? That he had neither the desire, nor patience, nor use for her company anymore? It should have felt more like relief.

Loki: The apology would not come, despite his parted lips. After all, he did mean everything he said, everything he used to defend himself, though he did so a little more than he liked. He could not simply lie to her. Not now. "I..." he began, and ran his fingers through his hair before looking to a wall rather than at her. "I did not mean to threaten you… When I said that I would not harm you, I..." he felt ridiculous, but he knew it would be enough... perhaps it would, at least.

Luna: Her eyebrows moved slightly in surprise of his words. It was not an apology, but then again, she knew something such was not to be expected of him. This was as far as he would go and she would be a fool to try and get any more out of him. Besides, she did not feel as if she needed to. Somehow, she ended up owing him more than he owed her, despite all he's said and done. As she could not meet his gaze, for it was not her he was looking at, she closed her eyes again. "Alright..." she murmured. After the first incident, he said he would try and control himself, yet all of that went straight out the window at random; she doubted he needed any particular incentive. Perhaps third time's the charm, and then he would not be able to restrain himself in any way.

Loki: "I lost control," he murmured quietly with a shake of his head. "I truly do not wish to harm you, but..." he ran his fingers through his hair, looking at her directly, "sometimes my mind believes that is the only way... Despite my wishes." he explained quietly. He didn't want her blood on his hands. He could not lie to himself and tell himself that in any other circumstances he would not have enjoyed such a death, but there was more to it than that.

Luna: He lost control more often than was safe for her, and what truly scared her was the fact that he could not guarantee that it would not happen again, and with different results. Were it not for that gap in his mind, she might have even befriended him. But there it was, and he did not seem to have a firm hold on it, and if he did not, nobody would, and there was very little that could stop him. She knew he said that he would try not to let such things happen, but a single look at how things were momentarily... She did not know what to tell him. "I don't want there to be a next time, especially not one where you finish what you began," she murmured, knowing again that her words would mean little. It was like throwing pebbles at a wall made of impenetrable glass, frustration, stress, tension, confusion...

Loki: He furrowed his brow, knowing he could not say anything that would be entirely truthful. He didn't know what to say in such a case... He could try and prove himself to be gentle, to not always be out of control, but even then there were no guarantees. He shook his head. "I know," he replied quietly. It was mortifying for him, as he had always been under the impression he could do what he wished, when he wished, and when he didn't want for something to happen, it didn't. In light of recent events, his control upon himself and his mind seemed to be slowly draining into the abyss he threw himself into. "I will do anything... I truly mean it, Luna," he said earnestly, his brows pulling together. "As long as I continue believing I do not want to harm you, which I do not, I’ll continue to stop myself... Believe me..."

Luna: It was almost comical - _he_ , Loki, was asking her to have faith in him... She shifted her weight slightly, simply to ensure she still felt her body, as it did not feel her own at the moment. His words did strike a chord somewhere within her, the unspoken plea, the tone of his voice, the entire situation infused with desperation. "I'll try..." she said with a small nod. _They_ will try, hopefully. It was such an impossible situation that she simply did not know how to handle it. She could try and believe him, and at one point, she might even do so, but even if he proved that which he said, she knew that it still did not mean that at any point, it could all shatter. One more sensible would give up, leave it be and walk away. The options were minimal.

Loki: He nodded slowly, looking over to her once more. She seemed quite confused... almost as confused as he was when it came down to it. He knew that the little shred of faith in him that she had would not keep her from losing it the moment he did truly threaten her life. He drew in a shuddering breath and let it out, resting back upon the bed. At least it still meant that he could stand a chance with being something to her, even if it was merely for the fact that he did not kill her and she made it through spending such intimate time with him alive. "Thank you," he replied quietly, but said no more.

Luna: "You're welcome," she replied, though as lowly as she said it, it could have easily been meant for nobody in particular. Facing the window, she could see bits and pieces of the night sky and its dull, polluted color, the filthy yellow glow of the street lamps making it seem almost brown; the building tops reached up for it, prodding, looming. Her jaw clenched slightly as she recalled the men who had attacked her.

She was quick to establish that she did not feel sorry for their deaths. The situation could have been handled differently, and they could have lived, but in her mind, such people were merely spoiling the Earth, and they were not crucial to it. After all, if it was not Luna they succeeded in maiming, it would have been someone else. And now, there were fewer people who did such foul things and therefore, their death was not something that affected her highly. People might not take kindly to such an opinion, and would perhaps call it rather extreme, as those men might have had families or other people who would miss them, but any particular woman they assaulted would not.

Loki: He sighed and shrugged all the rest off, trying to rest his body as well as he could so they could continue moving the following day. But at the same time, he tried to resolve what he was feeling, knowing that it was not normal. He tried to find a bit of peace within his cluttered mind and once he did, he very slowly drifted off into unconsciousness, his aching body completely relaxing.

Luna: Silence took over more fully than it ever had; even the city was quiet - no rumble of the cars, no drunken bellowing, no footsteps, no birds... After a while of watching the sky remain the same, though she knew it should have been changing, her eyes traveled to Loki. He seemed to be sleeping, though she was unsure, even though she could see his chest rising and falling at a pace quite even and his green eyes remained closed for quite a while. She looked away, letting him have his peace while he could, and she envied him for it, however momentarily.

She squirmed in her chair, toying with the idea of summoning magic to her to ease her into sleep, but she knew that if she did that, there would be soreness to deal with when they had to go, and she would not be a hindrance, nor would she lead them into ordeals such as the latest one. Her arms crossed against her stomach as she shut her eyes, spending the hours remaining lulling in and out of sleep restlessly.


	26. Chapter 26

Loki: He awoke when the dim light of day shone through the windows, seeping through the lids of his eyes. He blinked several times, his hand automatically running through his hair as he sat up. The entirety of the memories of the night prior seemed to come immediately back into his mind as he looked at Luna, seeing that she was still asleep. He rose and went into the bathroom to do his ritual of washing himself down with cold water, finding it very helpful. He combed his hair back as he looked into the mirror. He seemed paler every time he did so. He wondered briefly if the fact that he was so pale was because of Odin's masking spell, making it so that he hardly changed color no matter how long he remained in the sun or how cold he became. It was all so very artificial. He grimaced, trying to cast such an angry thought out of his mind before exiting the bathroom, his hair still dripping onto the collar of his shirt as he sat back onto the bed.

Luna: Her sleep was lighter than it had ever been, and the moment she heard the shifting of the bed, she came to. However, she did not open her eyes yet, hoping that if she kept them closed, she would just go back to sleep for a while longer; she cursed the easiness with which she woke so often. She did not hear footsteps after the creaking of the bed, yet when she heard the door open and close, she shifted, tilting her head and seeing that he was not in his bed. It was almost alarming, how silent he could be, even with the objects around him making noise that would have gone inaudible if it was not for the utter muteness.

Ever so slowly, she tried to sit up, but with that moment came a small throb that echoed in her head, making her decide to remain in the position she was in. She rubbed her face wearily, seeing that the sun had risen, but was nowhere to be seen in the sky. The clouds were thin and they blocked it enough for one to be able to gaze directly at it. The lights in their room remained on from the night prior, and now they mixed with the brightness of the daylight.

She did not move much while he was in the bathroom, and when he exited, she merely looked over to him. "Hi..." she greeted.

Loki: He nodded in her direction, seeing that she was awake. He raised his brows, almost surprised that she would speak to him already. "Hello," he replied simply as he sat upon the bed facing towards her. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, even though he could see it plainly on her face that the night did not treat her kindly. He did not see why it would.

Luna: "Not really…" she said with a small shrug. Then, she placed her hands against the chair and pushed, heaving herself up even with another throb to her head. She had to move, otherwise she would be a boneless mass he'd carry. "But it's alright, I'll sleep another time. And you?" she asked in return. She needed things to be as normal as they could be, and she wanted to forget.

Loki: He glanced over her body, as it looked fairly weak. He only shrugged. "Well enough," he replied passively, looking at the window with the day already passing on. They needed to continue almost immediately... The more time they spent here, the more likely the bodies would be found and things would be pieced together. "We should be leaving soon," he pressed.

Luna: "We should. I'll be just a moment." With a nod, she rose and went to the bathroom to wash her face and freshen herself up with some cold water - it will help in making her alert enough, despite the current, numb state of her brain. She has hardly had time to think more deeply upon their next stop, so today, she decided she would improvise. The map she was starting to learn by heart told her the area was rather wooded, which relieved her - walking would be the only down side to it, she hoped. They needed to avoid civilization whenever they could - as far as it was concerned, they were nonexistent.

Loki: He nodded and waited patiently for her to finish, hearing the water run in the room adjacent. He considered where he stood with her at that moment, knowing very well she watched him mercilessly kill three people... He was aware of the fact that she knew more than well that he’d killed previously, time and time again, but the mere fact of it happening directly before her eyes… He supposed that should haunt her, make her draw away from him even more so, but he couldn't see a hint of fear in her eyes, only that she was terrified of what could have happened back then. So it stands. They deserved to die, and she knew it, too. But that would give him no excuse to do it in front of her again unless she was being threatened, but even then...

Luna: She came out of the bathroom, several tips of her hair wet as they fell into the sink as she was washing up; she tucked them between the rest of her hair, doubting it would do much harm to her, even if it was cold outside. Wasting no time, she picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder, looking pointedly at the door. She did not wish to spend any more time in this dreaded room. It was odd, she thought, how she hardly ever paid any heed to the geography of the general area she lived in, never taking very much time to notice neither woods nor rivers nor small neighborhoods between larger towns... Until now, when a lot depended on it.

Loki: He nodded and shifted when she looked to the door. They walked down the hall together, only stopping to place the key onto the desk where a new woman sat, but even then she made no notice of either of them as they walked out. He supposed that was an advantage for them, but an almost questionable tactic for business. "How far today?" He asked quietly.

Luna: She was almost sorry that the woman from the night prior was not there, as she would have greatly enjoyed giving her a passing glare on her way outside. She pulled her coat more tightly around herself as the wind attempted to push it open. She merely opened the map as response and pointed at where they were, then dragged her finger along the route they would take to their next stop. "You won't have to be like that all the way, I don't think," she mentioned.

Loki: He was quite relieved at that fact, knowing that they could travel along and he could be comfortable at the same time. "Wonderful," he breathed as they walked along. He tried to ignore the fact that they walked past the alleyway she was attacked in, but she seemed to be so fixed upon where they were going and the circumstances of the upcoming day that she did not notice. That, too, was a relief. As safety from her further discomfort.

Luna: She glanced at him as she walked. He established the form he took on in public, and it did not seem as it would change any time soon, but she thought that perhaps it should. It might be suspicious enough that she could not change her form, that she was the same anywhere and everywhere, but he at least could do something about it. Maybe it would be wise if he changed things up a little bit, just in case. She gazed at the ground more often than not, skipping over puddles, going around them or sometimes blatantly walking through them, her mind struggling to be attentive to her thoughts - they appeared, she gave them minimal attention, and out they went for a while. She supposed it was a good thing, that she could not focus so greatly on some of her thoughts - the burdensome ones, more specifically. So, she placed what attention she had on the road and on leading them out.

Loki: He wondered briefly what she was thinking about, seeing as she seemed intently focused on simply moving on. He was more than happy to oblige to such a mindset, however, knowing that things could easily turn back around to her blatant ignoring of him.

They reached the woods not but an hour later, and they were finally alone, not surrounded by people. He quickly changed back, his abdomen already aching from the long amount of time that it had to work in keeping his facade. He walked silently by her side, but at the same time he had to consider what would have them at least speaking to each other. He only continued walking, hwever. He doubted any movement to make conversation with her would be fruitful, either.

Luna: She saw from her peripheral vision his height growing and his hair lengthening and darkening, so she glanced at him, seeing the form she was most familiar with. It was almost as if she was spending time with two different people entirely. But that was a mere feeling, and a rather brief one, at that, as the moment he began speaking, it was more than obvious that it was, indeed, still him. They tread deeper into the woods, and she was slightly surprised to realize how quickly they reached it; her mind must have been occupied with things enough to distort her perception of time, but she simply could not remember what it was that she was thinking about.

Loki: He sighed as the silence continued to reign over the both of them. She looked to be obviously so lost in thought that she would not dare speak up. It was odd, considering the fact that it was she who was trying to milk words from him before, and now, the situation was nearly the exact opposite. Though he was not so successful in his non-existent attempts as he thought over each scenario in his mind, he still could not stand the silence. He looked around him, looking for something to find interesting enough to make conversation off of, but huffed, knowing they were in a very boring forest. The trees had a very pathetic way of losing their leaves, as they fell and twirled about them whenever the wind would pick up. "It must be nearing the cold season here," he muttered, knowing that may simply start something, if anything.

Luna: She nodded in response. "It is, yes." Her eyes glided along the ground and all the dry leaves that littered it and crackled whenever they would step between or on them. They may have had a better chance of going unseen if the trees were not so bare, but the weather was rather cold, and Luna hoped that no people chose to venture out at this time to this place. "Snow should not be more than a month or two away, I think," she added. "I quite like snow," she said more quietly.

Loki: He nodded, glad to have a response that would also spark conversation between the both of them. He smirked. "I do, as well," he replied. "It is quite peaceful, I think. And cold," as the coldness was what he enjoyed most of all. When it snowed on Asgard, the rare times it did, did he feel most at peace. When it was warm, he felt as if it were the elements that were working against him, causing him the most discomfort. Asgard was warm, more often than not, so he usually stayed indoors.

Luna: She gave him an agreeing nod. "Oh, yes... I like how it feels beneath my fingers. It's so very soft at times, but it doesn't have to be. It can be molded to your liking," she said, the smallest of smiles appearing on her face as she reminisced of the feeling. "I do like the cold," she noted. She was glad that she had always lived in areas where the snow was not a rare occurrence. Each and every winter, it would be there, regardless, and it made her happy.

Loki: He nodded in agreement, wondering how someone so very warm could find any sort of liking to the coldest of things. It was odd, yes, but it was promising. "Indeed..." he replied quietly. "It only snowed upon Asgard once or twice every cold season... Sometimes not at all. But when it did, I spent the majority of my time outside."

Luna: "That is unfortunate…" she said, then phrased her previous thought into words, sharing that little bit with him. "When I was younger, my mother insisted that I wear gloves and hats and scarves and everything else that would protect me from the cold." She smiled a little more with the memory. "I took it all off the moment I was out of sight. The gloves prevented me from feeling the snow the way I wanted to, and I simply preferred being able to feel the air, as well. It felt so very stuffy in all of those clothes." Words glided out of her with almost no effort on her part, and she enjoyed that fact. It felt good to reminisce of such things, to the point where she did not care very much if it bored him or not.

Loki: He smirked at her recollection, finding it amusing, the contradiction between how she felt to the touch and what she enjoyed, making it almost a paradox. "And yet, you are very warm..." he mused quietly, his voice low and hardly audible. "I could say the same thing... but Frigga gave up, considering she would have known... The cold to me was like the warmth to her," he explained. "She acted as if she did not understand, but I suppose now she always did..."

Luna: She looked over at him. "At least you enjoyed yourself in the snow, no?" she said, burying her hands in her coat pockets. She was very warm, indeed, she thought to herself, and it was something he noticed just as clearly as she noticed his cold.

Loki: He nodded. "I did, yes," he replied quietly with a small smirk. Nearly her entire being was contrary to him, a juxtaposition. It was odd, and yet, in the back of his mind, he knew he liked that bit of her. He mused for a long while, a smirk remaining on his lips.

Luna: There was a wide stump of a tree long fallen and removed in her way, and she climbed atop it, stopping for several moments to reach up and pluck a single leaf that still barely clung to the lowly stooping branch. She took it and carried on their way, brushing her fingers along the slightly coarse surface very gently, lest it broke in her hand. She looked up at him and the wind that kept tossing his long hair about. "I like your hair," she said quietly, the wind threatening to carry her words away.

Loki: He smirked at her rather random compliment. At that moment, he hated the way its obnoxious length was kept blowing into his vision, and he had to consistently brush it aside. "It is far too long for my liking," he muttered with slight irritation.

Luna: "Can't you use the magic to shorten it in some way, even through shapeshifting?" she asked with a small frown on her brows. "I mean, when it does not hurt," she added hastily, beginning to crack the leaf between her fingers.

Loki: He frowned slightly. "Shapeshifting is another thing entirely... You see, this is my... relatively natural form... A sort of basis for shifting. If it changes, there is little I can do to change it without adding another sort of mask to the basis, which would have to remain for however long. Whenever that 'mask' is taken off, my original form would be added. But even this form is not entirely real..."

Luna: She tried to follow that which he was saying, understanding it more slowly than she would have liked. "So it isn't..." she mumbled to herself. It was only logical, as he _was_ Jotun, and as far as she knew, Jotun did not look like that. He looked quite human to her, which was a reason for her mild surprise each time she truly recalled just how old he was and _what_ he was. "Oh, well.. Be that as it may, what I said stands. Even as long as it is." she said with a shrug.

Loki: He scoffed, and looked down at her with a small smirk. "Does it now? Shall I take that as a compliment?" he replied, wishing to have some sort of amusement out of what they were discussing. He quite liked speaking to her in such a way, he came to find, so light and tentative and simple. Now, he could but poke and prod and see what made her tick.

Luna: "I don't see why you shouldn't," she said with a small smirk of her own, though neither that nor her eyes were directed exactly at him. It was odd, this conversation of things that she would, in all probability, speak with others like her. However, she did not think she should be so surprised - as always, anything and everything can be expected. So, she would take this discussion in stride and enjoy it while it lasted, as she knew very well how askew it could all go.

Loki: He laughed lightly. "Very well. A compliment from a little mortal girl. I shall take it," he nodded, running his fingers through his hair to get it out of his face as another rough gust of wind brushed into his face; he continued looking down at her. "So what else might that entail, hmm?”

Luna: She looked at him with a slightly crooked, slightly confused smile on her lips. Why should she humor him with her opinions of his physique? "And why, exactly, is that relevant?" she said in amusement. His ego was somewhere in between overblown and entirely deflated. She didn't know what her comments would do to it.

Loki: "I am curious, I suppose. Sometimes I see in your eyes the utter curiosity you have, and I cannot help but wonder what you think. Is that so terrible?" he asked innocently.

Luna: She couldn't help but chuckle at his ridiculous, innocent expression. If it were the first time she saw him, she might have even believed it - after all, he would make it quite easy to believe him, as far as such technicalities go. "Very well. But what's in it for me?"

Loki: He smirked. "The mere satisfaction that you have humored me," he said jokingly, knowing there was still very little in it for her. "Perhaps, I shall return the favor if you so wish it."

Luna: Her laughter almost echoed through the woods. "Oh, you have got to be joking..." she shook her head. How hilariously arrogant. In fact, all was well while it was hilarious - the point where it got irritating, well... "I suppose that is only fair..." she said, looking at him up and down, assessing. "You're tall," she stated obviously, approvingly. He could figure the rest out, himself.

Loki: He smirked, as she seemed to laugh at his words. He enjoyed listening, in all honesty... the way her voice rang and resounded through the empty wood in one moment and yet in the next one, it was the softest, quietest of things. He found it quite delightful. There was one point in his life where making people laugh was what he sought. "So I am," he replied lightly. "I _am_ a frost giant after all... But even in that aspect, I am rather small. A runt, I believe..." he replied with as much emotion as he'd use when he would tell her the sky was blue or his eyes were green.

Luna: "I don't like that word..." she muttered, the smile slipping from her face. The casual way he said it was but another layer, she thought. "I'm small for an average human woman, I guess, so we can complain about that together." She tried to get the smile back to her face and the light into the conversation before it drooped lower. "Well, we _could_ if I minded my height in any way," she added with a shrug. "At least you can feel tall around me." She gave him a gentle nudge. "See, I can't even reach you properly," she jested.

Loki: He nodded curtly, looking down at her with an amused glint in his eye. "You are small," he replied. "It would be fascinating to see you standing amongst the Aesir. You would grow quite used to the feeling," he explained. "And then, I believe you would begin to complain about height. I am merely average, quite frankly."

Luna: "I'd feel like a dwarf." She smiled in amusement. "One gets used to such things, though, and so would I to that particular one." The leaves snapped and crackled beneath her steps. "As you might be aware, you definitely are not average to my kind. Or at least, I do not find you so," she said indifferently.

Loki: "Considering I am not your kind at all, I daresay I'd hardly be anything to it," he replied with a small smirk, "but I shall take such compliments." Even though he knew she was tired of such jabs. "And in reality, you would be relatively close to the size of a dwarf, if I estimate correctly."

Luna: She narrowed her eyes slightly, and though she did not feel particularly offended by such a comparison, she still gave him another push. "As I said before - a fantastic dwarven beard and I'm set. And now, you return the favor."

Loki: He looked down, realizing that she had been nudging him, though he had hardly felt her tiny elbow anywhere near him. He reacted to it, pummeling himself to the side with an amused expression at her attempt. "Ah, very well. Your hair." His reply was simple as he looked down to her considerably dark hair. "Seldom do I see such a thing."

Luna: She laughed delightedly at the peculiar way he humored her feeble attempts at jabbing at him. This was very near enjoyable, she decided, and oh, how she would cling to it; it was too rare to let go of. "You mean the color?" she said, glancing sideways at her dark, chestnut hair. "I thought not all women on Asgard were blonde," she said, her tone inquisitive.

Loki: "Any woman I have found who has even desired to be in my bed was blonde. Blonde is what is considered attractive upon Asgard, and any dark hair and it would be... Oh, by the Norns, a _disaster_ ," he replied sarcastically. "As you see, I hardly fit into such a category. But yes, you are correct, not _all_ women upon Asgard are blonde, but those who are not have blood in their familyline within them that is not Aesir. Therefore, impure."

Luna: "Well, that's... rigorous," she frowned. "I didn't know the Aesir were so strict and quick to spew such names at people. Another reason I'd not fit, either," she pointed out. "Then again, I've no Aesir blood in my bloodline, so that's automatically a disadvantage on its own."

Loki: He nodded and shrugged. "It is unspoken, but true," he replied dully. "Your hair is lovely as it is," he replied, looking down, before he realized what he said. His smile gradually turned into a self-satisfied smirk as he walked along.

Luna: She blinked, her eyebrows rising in wonder at his words, and her eyes wandered over to him curiously, finding him with his lips curved into quite a smug smile. It made her smile, as well. "Well, thank you," she nodded at him. Lovely, was it? "That is nice to hear." Her smile grew by a fraction. This was the first nice thing he ever said about her and to her as long as she's known him - granted, not a lengthy period of time, but even in such, he managed to spew enough slander about her to last her till the rest of her life. And now, a compliment. The pain must have been getting to his head again, she thought.

Loki: He remained silent for a while more, mulling her words over in his head. "I do believe you are saying you find me attractive, no?" He knew very well she could well be embarrassed by such a thing, but he wished to hear it. "How flattering..." he drifted off, his expression seeming to be permanently fixed into such pure glee.

Luna: She could hardly stand the expression etched deeply onto his face. "You believe all crookedly," she said stubbornly, glancing from him to the space in front of her, ignoring the warmth in her cheeks and letting her face go as blank as she could have it. His curiosity was inevitable, she knew, but what would he possibly do with the knowledge he was trying to obtain?

Loki: "No," he pressed stubbornly, seeing it in her eyes. "No, you find me attractive," he countered, his grin only increasing when he looked over her expression, the confusion set into it. "Do not be so embarrassed, my lady," he added, "I am flattered."

Luna: She resigned with a sigh, her head dropping lower for a moment before she stubbornly tilted it back up again. "Just outwardly, I think," she said. He could conclude whatever he wished to, she thought, as it would not ultimately matter. This was a mere pastime. What harm could come from him thinking such a thing?

Loki: His smile disappeared almost immediately, his lips coming together to press into a thin line, his brow furrowing slightly. "Ah, yes," he muttered quietly. "I suppose that would only make sense." It was a fact he knew, that women only slept with him because he was a Prince, because marrying him would promise them a better life. However, hearing such a thing coming from her lips sank his heart no matter how much he wished against letting it affect him. His lips slowly retrieved their smile. "Nothing I did not expect," he added, looking down to her and then back in front of him. "No one would find one such as I attractive in that way, now would they? No, I suspect women were much too dazzled by the title that they were blind."

Luna: It was only when she saw the look on his face and the tone of his voice grow more morose that she realized that, perhaps, what she said was rather offensive. Her brows lowered as she listened to him, with each word knowing that she should have kept such a comment to herself, instead. "There had to have been some who did, though, no? That's better than nothing, I'd say," she said more quietly, kicking over a pine cone lightly.

Loki: "If they had, they never made such note of it," he replied, looking distantly in front of him, his smirk diminishing once more as he knew he wasn't fooling anyone. The comment bothered him. It made him guilty. He did not like feeling guilty, especially not when the mortal girl was inducing such an emotion. "I suppose people accuse you of being something for so long such that eventually you have no choice but to become what they accuse."

Luna: She looked over at him with a frown upon her face. "And since when are you one to believe people? Furthermore, one to _obey_?" she asked. He seemed to enjoy stressing his strength, regardless of the circumstances, yet she did not take him for one so pliable. Perhaps it was because of such people he became more skeptical and reluctant for interaction, but even she did not believe her own thoughts, at that moment. "To prove them right?"

Loki: He scoffed, shaking his head. "You do not understand," he muttered, deciding against such a topic. No, she would not understand at all. She only knew him as he was now, not what had happened, what he had been. "And you would not understand," he added, dismissing any sort of argument that might present itself.

Luna: "You keep assuming, Loki, that's not something anyone would advise you to do as often," she pointed out. She would not force him to explain it to her, as he had the complete right to keep his matters to himself, but she was absolutely certain that she would at least try to the best of her abilities to understand, if he chose to tell her. It was a long stretch that he would so decide, but she would not dismiss herself as easily as he did.

Loki: He shook his head again, letting her words pass with several beats of silence between the both of them. "Very well," he said lightly, wiping the hair out of his face. "You can continue to believe what you wish to from what little you have gathered, but I shall only continue to tell you that you have this one idea of who I am. I daresay from that, you could never conjecture who I was. Not to say I was entirely different, but perhaps more keen to listening to others as I do believe we have all been at one youthful and naive point in our lives."

Luna: She gave a small sigh. How very obstinate he was... "I never claimed that I understood you - who you were or who you are. All I'm saying is that perhaps you should make sure of some things before you discard them. Assuming all crookedly will not leave you with very good results," she stated with a shrug; it was basic sense, common knowledge, or so she thought. She could see his mood was growing worse with each second, and she could not risk that, as there would be consequences for the both of them. Whenever did she become a jester for a failed king?


	27. Chapter 27

Luna: They continued walking in considerable silence, and she fixated her gaze upon the ground, feeling actual _guilt_ ebbing at her edges. The deeper the silence fell, the more the guilt nipped, until she finally spoke, wishing to rid herself of it. "I'm sorry..." she said at first. There was more she wished to say, but much of that depended on his response. She'd have to be careful, choosing her words in accordance to how he felt, lest she buries them both even deeper.

Loki: And now she wished to continue the topic. He sighed heavily, shaking his head. At first, he wished to ignore her apology entirely as it was silly, but then again, she may continue trying to get through to him and irritate him further. "No, no, you are only stating mere truth," he replied, waving a dismissive hand. "Nothing more."

Luna: "It is not the entire truth, though," she responded, intending on mending anything that might have been bent out of shape between them at that moment. Why would she ever wish for such a thing, she could hardly fathom. She decided to settle for the sole reason of wishing to make it easier on herself. She's learned quite quickly that a bad humored Loki is one more dangerous. What she could not predict as easily was the precise time his mood swung this way and that.

Loki: "Oh, is it not?" he said in blatant disbelief. "And what, pray tell, is?" he asked, looking back into the woods as they walked along. And why should she care if it was the truth?

Luna: "Well, look at it this way," she began, "if I did not like you at all, do you think I would have come with you? I think if I truly were to despise you, I might have been so determined not to come with you that I would have, in a way, preferred for you to kill me than to spend any amount of time with you," she said, trying to make it sound as sensible as it felt within. "There are reasons why I withstand you."

Loki: He smirked, listening to her improvised reasons as to why she decided to come with him, although he knew, ultimately, that she would never have wished for death over the fact that she could very well learn magic and somewhat continue with her life after he was done with her. "Really, now? Do tell," he pressed, eying her curiously.

Luna: She drew in a sigh, trying to speak more smoothly, an action her ever present fatigue hindered. "You're able to grant me many things. Now and then, you have something to say which I find enjoyable, and I am fond of such moments." Her hands burrowed their way in her pockets. "You are an opportunity for me to experience and know things that I truly doubt I would have been able to otherwise. Assuming, of course, that you do not tire of me and dispose of me in some less than favorable way."

Loki: He listened to her words intently, the many compliments that he did not force from her to further stroke his ego, or anything that was forced simply because she felt... _guilty_ for her earlier insult. He nodded, contemplating everything that she was saying. "I see," he replied quietly. "I do not plan on disposing of you, Luna," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I do believe we have been through this multiple times... Must you bring such a thing into conversation once more?"

Luna: He, himself, said that he lost control... And in such a brief period of time, it happened two times more than she would have liked. There was no guarantee from him, despite his wishes, as he made it clear that his mind had him act in ways that utterly contradicted his conscious requests. "Very well, very well," she rose her hands up slightly defensively. "In that case - good. I'll proceed taking from your company what I wish," she smiled lightly.

Loki: He knew there could be multiple meanings behind such statements, and a few were not favorable for him... at least, the few he could think of. "And what shall these selfish desires entail, hmm?" he pressed, arching a brow.

Luna: "Just enough to at least partially compensate for that which was taken from me," she shrugged. She would take in his good moods to as high a degree as she could, she would do her best to take the most out of any chance she gets - any moment his words would not be scathing, she would gladly take it and keep it. "Whatever you can teach me."

Loki: "Very well," he replied quietly with a sigh, knowing that it was at least fair. Though he was rarely one who played by such fairness, but there was something about her... Something that he wished to please. "What do you do for enjoyment, Luna?" he asked, attempting to, once again make the conversation lighter than it had been. Perhaps he would have some useful information in her answer that would prove to help him.

Luna: "I'm afraid that now that I can summon magic - nothing else," she breathed out a brief chuckle. "When someone asks me such questions, my mind goes blank," she admitted before falling silent for several moments. "I do enjoy reading, and teaching myself various things that I may or may not need some time during life, including various languages…" she drifted off, unsatisfied with her answer, as it was quite vague, but she did not find there to be much to say, to her disappointment.

Loki: It was surprising, quite frankly, as that was a vague way of stating what he, too, did in his free time before everything seemed to start drifting into a downwards spiral. "You don't say," he responded with a small smile before letting it disappear into nothing. "Not very social, are you?" he asked with a smirk. That, too, was a likeness. How odd it was.

Luna: She looked at him, frowning slightly as she realized that nowhere in her scarce description had she mentioned people whatsoever. "I don't… _mind_ people. There are some interesting ones to spend time with, but overall, I... I guess you'd be correct." She liked to listen to certain people, as she knew some who had such marvelous things to say, but overall, she supposed she would not be deemed social by the contemporary meaning of it. It was not something she minded, however.

Loki: He nodded, keeping his smirk. "Ah yes," he remarked, running his hands through his hair reflexively now whenever a gust of wind blew it into his face. "So, besides magic and whatnot... Your using of me... Is there any way I can show you _my_ ways of amusement?" he asked, eyeing her with slight curiosity. Even if she didn't want to, he knew he would eventually have his way.

Luna: Her frown deepened as she looked at him openly now, slight confusion streaking her features. "And what would that entail?" she asked slowly, a hint of wariness in her undertone.

Loki: He shrugged. "Nothing that I do not believe you would not enjoy as well," he remarked, "Perhaps a drink or two, no?" he added. "Or is that not your taste?"

Luna: She would not have taken him for one who drinks, but when she asked herself why that was so, no answer came. "Perhaps not..." she responded carefully. Not only did she not enjoy alcohol, she did not think she could actually stand it. The taste almost maimed her mouth to the point where her body, itself, would protest if she attempted to have any more of it. No, there was hardly any chance for him to convince her to join him in anything strong.

Loki: He frowned. "Come now, Luna, it is all in good taste," he pressed. "I do know how rancid Midgardian liquor could be, but surely it is not too terrible that you could deny yourself a night of some sort of freedom, no?" He remembered the one occasion he had attempted to down the stronger alcohol simply because he was offered. It was not as fulfilling as Asgardian drinks were, not so sweet and rich... it was an attempt, though.

Luna: "By 'freedom', you mean 'loss of all control, leading to who knows what that I may or may not come to regret'?" she asked in return. The number of drunk people she has seen, it had served as a very good incentive to decide to never attempt anything like that. Certainly, if she were going to drink, she would not do so to the point of utter inebriation, naturally, yet she doubted she would drink at all. The women she's seen, baring themselves to strangers, giving themselves to strangers in such depraved, disgusting ways; men making fools of themselves, engaging in acts no less ridiculous... And the inevitable loss of control of one's actions, words, thoughts. No, she'd not let herself.

Loki: So, it was not going to be easy. All he truly wanted was a few drinks. It would do away with the overcrowding of his mind's thoughts, the many stress-ridden ideas that circled his head. But he shan't do so alone. "I shall not hurt you, or allow you to do anything that you will regret," he replied. "Not unless you give me your absolute consent..." he added. "It is purely for mere enjoyment. Give it a chance?" His voice gained a note lighter and lighter as he continued, baring his palms in a show of innocence. She looked dead-set against it, but if he could only somehow manipulate a small bit of her that could have the possibility of showing her desire to simply _give in_... The stubborn girl she was...

Luna: "If I get drunk, my consent will not be mine, you see," she explained. "Besides, we might understand 'enjoyment' a bit differently," she added. The only thing she could possibly hope to swallow was a cocktail of sorts, simply because the taste of the alcohol, itself, was subdued by other, more favorable flavors. But if she let him have that bit of information, he would not cease pestering her until he bent her to agreement. A part of her mused that a single drink would not hurt, but there was the possibility of him insisting on more than one drink, and she could not let that happen, either. Reasons kept piling in her head, more of them against than for... He lost control as it was, with absolutely no aid from anything else, but if he drank... "I don't know..."

Loki: "Come now..." he pressed, his voice pressing quite firmly. "I have heard I am much more... amiable after quite a few drinks," he pressed, looking over her endearingly, knowing that he very well meant it. The only times he had ever bedded woman in his youth was when he had one drink too many, and many times did he awake not quite remembering why the woman was there in the first place and why she was nude, but to him, that was only fuel for his fire. It _was_ the ultimate bit of chaos, the loss of control, the mind being at a loss for only a little bit. "I do not believe I shall hurt you... not at all," he promised.

Luna: She disliked the pressure he was putting on her. "We'll see," she said and left it at that. She could not and would not tell him any more. Perhaps one drink, but she would absolutely not be bullied into anything, especially not this. What would he do, tie her down and force her to drink? "Besides, when do you suppose we could possibly come around to doing that?" they were to be on a constant run, and if anything would hinder them, it would be alcohol.

Loki: He saw the amounts of distaste written upon her face, but he knew very well that he had won. "I do believe we will come to what you call a hotel later, yes? We have placed enough distance between where we left and where we are now that we could very well afford to stay for at least two nights of merely enjoying ourselves," he explained easily, forcing a smirk to stay away from his features as that would reveal his expectant expression more so than he would like.

Luna: Risking his freedom for several drinks? It was rather peculiar to her that he would prioritize in such a way. However, the workings of his mind were unfamiliar to her, ultimately. "Are you sure about that?" she pressed, a feeling of unease weighing on the pit of her stomach as he mentioned such enjoying of which she was utterly unsure.

Loki: He nodded. "Yes, I am sure... Unless you feel it best to spend only one night... But, if my guesses are correct, we are closer to the border than ever, no?" he asked, seeing the look of utmost unease come through her.

Luna: She sighed; he was quite right, they were very close, indeed. As far as she was concerned, she would more than gladly accept two nights of rest, as she was increasingly tired and sore. It was _his_ plan that she was unsure of. "Does our alcohol even affect you?" she asked. If it did... Well, not only would she have to restrain herself from drinking, she would have to the same with him, as well. What was she supposed to do with a drunk immortal on her hands? She could hardly stop him from his actions when he was sober, there was no saying... She sighed once again. In truth, which she bitterly realized, there was no saying what he could do at any point, inebriated or not. She could not control him. Herself, on the other hand...

Loki: "I would say after several drinks it would begin to," he replied. "Your alcohol here is less potent than in Asgard." Her sighs seem to be leading ultimately to her consent... at least, that was what he was hoping for. He was not about to simply drink on his own, as that simply would not do. He could see the calculations in her eyes, believing that if he was to lose control that could ultimately injure her, though he knew that would not happen. He has lived long enough to understand his nature under such an influence, and there truly was nothing for her to worry about.

Luna: "I see.." she murmured, not to anyone in particular. She knew that he would be enough to prevent her from anything rash she might do, but there was the question of whether or not he would want to do that to begin with. The man seemed to be amused by her slip ups, what prevents _him_ from allowing her to embarrass herself in one way or another? Perhaps she would humor him with a single drink, but beyond that, she would have to have utter reassurance that neither one of them leaves the hotel room, nor does anything within it potentially compromising for either of them. It would be a risk.

Loki: She was trying to reason it all out, he could tell, by the way she was continuing to resort to silence, her lips pursed like they did when she was thinking, her brows slightly pulled together, her hands resting in one place or another without moving, her eyes speculative. If he acted now, while she was in such deep thought, it might work in his favor. "So it is decided then?" he pressed with a small smirk. "Just a little fun for one night?"

Luna: Without looking at him, she shook her head slightly. "The pressure is not appreciated," she said shortly. They've gone too far to risk any further sabotaging of their plans, even if it came by their own hand. There were far too many ”what ifs” for comfort. She looked over at him finally. "You do understand that I've never gotten drunk in my entire life, right?"

Loki: He raised his brows, though he supposed he should not be so thoroughly surprised. She was not _entirely_ like him, after all. He, who began to rely upon alcohol more and more as the pieces of his life began to shatter, and she, who had never touched it once and continues to refuse to, even though her life has also been thrown into shambles. He did not apologize for his insistence, however. "I am unsure whether I am to be surprised or not," he replied lightly. "So it is worth a try, then?"

Luna: "Can safety be ensured?" she shot a question in return, suspecting what the answer might be. She would not let herself drink to the point where memory lacked. No control would be lost on her part - no idiotic things would be said, nor done, nothing that would cause her to wish he would discard her, simply so she would not have to bear his gaze afterwards. "Perhaps I will drink with you, but I will not get drunk with you."

Loki: He rolled his eyes. "I shall be there to assure you do nothing to destroy our secrecy. I shan't lose utter control, and neither will you. By being inebriated, you do not sign away total control, dear Luna, but it can come to such a point if you do not know when to stop. I merely wish for us both to relax. It shan't be daft," he explained, wondering for a moment what, exactly, she was picturing in her head, but he found that he'd rather not.

Luna: As she has never been in such a state before, neither of them could truly claim as to what she would be like. Fortunately, they would not find out. Besides, she thought to herself, it is not secrecy with others she was concerned about - it was the one with him. She gave more complexity to this demand of his than she would have liked. It should not be this serious a matter, a brief thought scampered across her mind. She was getting very weary of thinking about it, of the clashing contradictions of the reasons... "Very well.”

Loki: His thin-lipped smile grew, reaching his eyes as they glowed with utmost pleasure. "Wonderful," he replied, absolutely pleased with himself for successfully changing her mind. "You shan't regret it, I promise you," he added lightly as his steps also became lighter.   
It was then that he noticed the fact that the sun was drifting off behind the trees, encasing their surroundings into a dank, miserable darkness. "Now, how close are we to society?" he asked, looking over to her once more, assuming she would be the one to know of such things.

Luna: There would be nothing to regret, indeed, as there would be no circumstances in which anything would arise. At least he stopped pestering her for the time being, and that was relieving, on its own. She would find a way around it later on, if he tried to lead her to more than she wanted. For now, he could be as joyous as he wished to. "Not too far away." He was hardly in a position to complain at this point, as most of their walking has been done with no pain-inducing magic.


	28. Chapter 28

Luna: The wind ceased blowing, for which she was almost grateful at this point, what with it ceasing interfering with her hair and her clothes. With it gone, their surroundings fell a tad more silent, save for the ever present sounds of various critters and leaves that shuffled beneath their feet. The sun would set rather soon, she noticed, as it increasingly did with each day of winter approaching. They were not headed towards a city as large as any they've passed by up until that point. No, this time she decided on a place a little smaller - there was a risk of people remembering them a little more clearly in such a case - but the stops were scarce, and she had to make do. The trees grew lesser in number, and the ground began gently sloping downwards; they were nearing.

Loki: He looked to her warily when it became obvious that they were nearing. He shifted as he was walking, this time keeping his height the same, as he did not have the motive to change thoroughly, deciding it was too strenuous. They continued walking until he could see paved roads off in the distance, sensing they were not exactly in a heavily populated area, which he was slightly grateful for, but he knew the risks were slightly greater. It mattered not, if he was to remain within the hotel room as often as she, he figured. Humans were rarely that observant.

Luna: The yellow tinted grass was slightly damp under their feet, and gradually it turned into a gravelly road which slowly descended into the tiny town. Quite soon, they meandered within, with Luna hoping there would be at least a motel or a room they could rent for the amount of time they'd be there. It certainly seemed small enough to not have such things, she thought worriedly. The buildings were low and stout, and there seemed to be one, perhaps two larger streets, packed with stores and shops selling all sorts of things that the people might need, lessening their need of venturing to larger cities in search of more. Surely, it would be enough for some. Perhaps she ought to ask for directions, she mused.

Loki: He walked alongside her as they reached what looked like another building, a flat motel. The people were scarce, if any, only periodically venturing in and out of stores, and once they were finished, they would retreat into their vehicles and continue on down along the road. He nudged her arm, seeing that she had not seen it before as she walked along. "Is that where we could stay?" he asked quietly, pointing in the direction of the building he had spotted.

Luna: She blinked, turning her head to where he gestured, frowning slightly, for she did not realize... She gave him a nod. "It is, yes.. Thank you," she said with a small, irked sigh. The building was, indeed, a motel, an elongated complex of rooms on two grounds - one which they could rent. It would have to do, as she doubted there would be much else for them to find in this particular place. Perhaps on their next stop, she should be a little more generous and get them each their own room.

She mentioned nothing of their previous alcohol 'arrangement' as she crossed the street and entered what she thought was the makeshift lobby. A plump, joyful looking woman was sitting behind the counter - a pleasant change from the previous one - and she gave them an almost warm smile. To avoid being perceived as strange or, perhaps, rude, Luna returned the smile gratefully, merely hoping that Loki would not seem far too out of place, as he knew to.

Loki: Loki followed, allowing a small smile to come upon his lips as he replaced his normal facade with that of a mortal who was less wary. The woman looked at the both of them, as if completely pleased at seeing them, and a connection seemed to be made in her eyes. He almost lost his smile at the inference that seemed to be taking place behind her eyes.

Luna: "Welcome," the woman greeted them with an unwavering smile, pushing her oddly rimmed glasses further up her nose. "What can I do for you?" she inquired.  
"We would like a room, if you please." Luna nodded in return, the apparent sweetness of this lady bringing her spirits up somewhat. Before she could say much else or give any further specifications of the room they required, the woman interrupted with "Sure, sure, we have a delightful little room! It ain't much, but it's warm and it's clean and it's cozy. We don't get many visitors around here, small town an' all." The woman seemed rather chatty.  
"Thank you very much, we really would take one. Separate beds, however," she pointed out hastily, lest another interruption came her way.

Loki: The woman's smile diminished slowly, as a type of realization dawned on her. She lowered her eyes as if embarrassed and went through looking for a key to hand Luna. Loki smirked slightly, his assumptions being proven right. He watched with amusement as the woman sheepishly handed Luna a key, exchanging it for the payment Luna offered awkwardly. "Thank you," Loki said lightly, offering another smile, through the awkwardness of the situation.

Luna: She felt a small need to laugh at the confusion of the situation, the woman's quite sudden change of attitude, though she still tried to maintain a smile on her face for the two of them. After thanking her and listening to her instructions on which particular room would be theirs for the time being, Luna led the way to it. Did they truly resemble one such couple, as the woman seemed to assume? She looked at Loki from the corners of her eyes.

Loki: He snickered to himself as they moved along, wishing to make the best of it while he could. "My lady, are you?" he asked, nudging her as he opened the door before her. "I suppose we'd make quite the couple, no?" he continued laughing to himself as he considered it.

Luna: As she entered, she laughed, as well. With a brief scan of the room, she realized it was precisely all that the plump woman said. It looked rather comfortable, she was glad to notice, as she was partly expecting something incomparably worse. She looked over to him with amusement in her eyes. "Oh, absolutely, can't you just imagine it?" she laughed again, dropping her bag aside as she looked about.

Loki: He nodded and laughed once more. "I daresay we would be the most _interesting_ couple there ever was," he replied with a smirk, placing himself upon the bed furthest from the small window, deeming it comfortable. He shifted once he sat down, leaning back as he looked over to her, realizing just _how_ ridiculous his thoughts were before any of this. Him and a mortal. No, that was simply the last thing he could possibly need.

Luna: She walked over to the other, unclaimed bed and sat down upon it, exhaling slowly. "Oh, I am never getting up again..." she said, laying back, though her feet were still on the ground. She gazed up at the dull, white ceiling. "The woman was silly, I mean... I thought it was quite obvious," she said. They would be the most interesting couple there ever was, indeed. Until they killed each other… Then they would be even more interesting.

Loki: He shook his head. "I'd assume Midgard is similar to Asgard in that when a woman and a man are seen together, it may be subconsciously assumed they are together," he replied thoughtfully. "And we are coming into what Asgard would call an inn and sleeping in what would be supposed as the same room. Her reaction was predictable," he explained with a small smirk of his own. "Besides, she does not know who I _am_ and how _ridiculous_ it would have been to suppose such a thing in the first place."

Luna: She nodded in agreement. She could not see him in the manner she was laying, so she kept her eyes on the ceiling, instead, her hands folding over each other on her stomach. Precisely, yes," she said, "I don't like such assumptions, though. Short of seeing actual affection, there is hardly any basis."

Loki: He pressed his lips together and only let out a hum in agreement. So quick was she to dismiss such an idea at all. He allowed a few beats of silence to pass before opening his mouth. "About those drinks?" he pressed with a small smirk.

Luna: She hardly suppressed a groan. "Get them yourself," she said, scooting further on the bed. "I told you I'm not getting up." She smiled lightly. It was far too comfortable for her to move, though she did wish to bathe at some point during the evening. The woods took their toll, she knew.

Loki: He frowned, not liking to have been contradicted. "But _you_ do not have to shift in order to do so. Unless, of course, you'd like me to not, and we could, in the meantime, receive free drinks?" He scoffed.

Luna: She couldn't help but laugh at that as she imagined how it would all transpire. Soon enough, though, it died out and she gave a sigh as she propped herself up to her elbows, looking at him. "Do you even know what you want?" she asked. She was not a savvy one when it came to such things.

Loki: "Whatever you believe is strong," he replied simply, giving a shrug, all the while glad that she was abiding his wishes. "Or else I daresay you would have to buy much more than you might enjoy carrying."

Luna: With a _hmpf_ , she rose unwillingly from the bed. "What a gentleman you are," she said, walking over to her bag and bending over to rummage through it for the money needed, in the meantime checking how much of it they have left, calculating just how to manage the rest of it. The thoughts then grew into musings of just what is strong among the beverages.. She's seen shelves upon shelves of alcohol, though she never truly purchased anything from it - not for herself, at least.

Loki: He frowned at her sudden insult and rose from the bed while she was rummaging through her bag. He waited for her to start to leave, and then stepped behind the door and opened it for her, bowing lowly with a small smirk on his face, looking up through his lids to her. "I thank you, my lady," he said, feigning sincerity.

* * *

Luna: A little while later, she returned laden with bags in which bottles clinked with her each step. She was very glad that she did not need to pass by the lobby woman on her way back, as her items would indubitably raise questions for which Luna had few answers - certainly none good enough. She entered their room and kicked it shut carefully, nearly instantly settling the bottles down, not having too much care of them. "Well, there you go," she said, gesturing towards the bags. "Help yourself, and I'll go bathe," she said, making her way to the bathroom before he could say anything against it.

Loki: He looked over the multiple bags she was carrying curiously, watching as she quickly strode into the bathroom and shut the door before he could say anything regarding the fact he expected her to at least have a few. He looked through what looked to be strong, noting the glass containers he had seen in the Stark tower, something he supposed was the Man of Iron's favorite. He took one of the bottles of the gold-brown liquid, eyeing the label before opening it smoothly, taking a swig not a beat later. It was bitter, yes, but strong. He could feel a bit of warmth drip onto his tongue and then down his throat, almost evaporating as it did so. It was nothing like Asgardian liquor, but it would have to do. He sat casually onto the chair and took sips at his leisure, simply waiting for her to exit the bathing chamber.

He finished the first bottle with slight disappointment, finding that it was hardly affecting him. He went back to the plastic bags that she had walked in with and grabbed yet another bottle of the thing, casting the empty one aside.

Luna: She came out, the slightly colder air of the rest of the room greeting her and causing a small, delighted shiver to go through her; in comparison, the bathroom was nearly steaming warm. She found Loki on the chair with a bottle in his hand, and did not think very much of it until she saw another bottle, surprisingly empty. "You drank a whole one already?"

Loki: He shrugged. "Yes," he replied simply, offering her a seat across from him with a smirk. "It was a small bottle," he replied as if that should be an excuse, but in all reality, it was hardly enough, even though it was allegedly "strong".

Luna: She took another look at the discarded bottle, shaking her head; it was nowhere near small, and even as such, such containers were usually meant for more people to share. She took a seat in the chair across from him, giving him a pleasant smile, though she was truly not intending on heeding his wishes. "Well, I hope it's enjoyable enough, otherwise it'll all be for nothing."

Loki: "Ah, it is," he replied with a small, entertained smile and then gestured to the bags that were across from him upon the bed. "Your turn," he pressed. He would have none of her refusal.

Luna: She looked over to where he was gesturing before her hand slipped into one of the bags and pulled out a bottle of her own; nowhere near as strong as what he was having, naturally. "You're very persistent," she commented, opening the cap and running her fingers along the paper which enveloped the bottle. Then, she brought it up to her lips and took a sip. It was not as foul as it could have been, she decided, making herself comfortable in the chair, keeping her eyes on him.

Loki: He smirked. "You have my thanks," he replied easily as he took another deep swig, pleased to see her enjoying her own at the same time, despite the small grimaces on her face that tried to speak otherwise. "I have only learned from the best, I suppose," he added with a short chuckle. "The most persistent species of the nine realms, I daresay," he mused.

Luna: "Damn them..." she muttered in partial jest as she took another slow sip. She hoped that he would finish off all of the bottles which she bought, thus leaving her with none for herself, save for the one she was handling momentarily.

The night was rather quiet as all activity outside dwindled to a stop; what a peaceful little place, she thought as she yet again tasted the sweetish flavor of her drink. "More amiable, you said?" she asked. "I'm still waiting to see that."

Loki: "Are you now?" he replied with a rueful smirk. "That is something, then," he laughed as he took another, slower, sip as she did. "Would you even enjoy such a thing?" he asked thoughtfully, tapping his fingers along the glass. "After all I have said of my... amiable nature?"

Luna: One of her fingertips circled the mouth of the bottle as she spoke. "You've not told me nearly enough for me to form any sort of opinion," she said with a small shrug. "But how bad can it be?" After various states of his in which she's seen him, how much worse could it get?

Loki: He shrugged just the same, figuring she could very well see for herself and form her own opinion. “Drink… Enjoy…” If she was to be so very lenient in all of his ways of being, who was he to speak against such a thing?

Luna: "Keep doing that, and soon enough, it'll grow into forcing. Leave me be," she said, "you just mind your own bottle." She did not wish for this evening to go by irritably in any way - such occasions were plenty, and if she had a chance of having an actually enjoyable one, she would take it. However, with certain reserve, as anything could spiral elsewhere at any point. Her sips grew a little longer. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be cranky, I'm just a little… It's odd, all of this."

Loki: He frowned as she spoke in such a manner. Rarely has he ever been spoken to in such a demeaning way, especially by a woman. At any other time he would not stand for it, and he hadn't an idea why he would allow for such a thing as he did. He supposed he was _forcing_ her in such a manner, considering the fact that he was coercing her into trying to let her have his own type of amusement. "Understandable," he replied quietly as he continued to take another long sip.

Luna: "To return the question," she did not wish for this to turn into an ugly experience, "what do _you_ do for enjoyment, Loki?" she parroted the question he asked her a while ago.

Loki: "I suppose relatively the same as your answer," he replied, the corners of his lips twisting up into an odd grin. "I enjoy magic and my library... Once, out of mere boredom, I created a garden upon the grounds of the palace, and I maintained it for a good long while until I... left."

Luna: She blinked in small surprise. "A garden?" she asked, "Now, that is something... I would have liked to see that," she nodded, if only for the fact of gazing upon it and thinking incredulously - _Loki made this_. She did not take him for one with an affinity for gardening, though when she gave it some thought, she came to a conclusion that what gardening was on her realm did not necessarily hold the same meaning on his. "It must be lovely..."

Loki: He nodded, enjoying her surprise. He supposed it was another element entirely to add onto what she knew of him. "It was... or is... assuming it is not in ruins after I have stopped tending to it due to my rather sudden... departure. But yes, I quite enjoyed being there. It was rare for another to find me if I found a spot hidden enough away... I sometimes would remain there for days and even weeks... simply enjoying it on my lonesome."

Luna: She did not notice the smile that crept up on her lips as her mind provided her the images born from his words. "That sounds more enjoyable than I dare say. I always wanted such a place for myself. Not necessarily a garden, but one hidden." Wherever she lived, there was always a place of her own somewhere in the house or the apartment, a place she felt most comfortable at, a place she frequented more often than the rest of the place. Her family knew it was hers and they hardly perturbed her there.

Loki: He took another slow sip, as he looked at her and her small smile as she seemed to think of such a thing, and, unnoticed by him, his own lips curled up into another thin smile. "Ah yes, it became quite useful," he replied musingly as he leaned back casually into the chair, simply enjoying the amount of relaxation that filled him with every sip.

Luna: Silence very deep seemed to fill the room as soon as either of them ceased talking; it was not as uncomfortable to her as she might have thought. It was one of the more pleasant silences they shared, she thought as she slowly tipped her bottle higher and higher with each following sip. It was one of the first times she did not feel compelled to speak. It almost felt as if they were not on the run, as if they were merely enjoying a pleasant evening together, with fewer cares riddling them. "I have to say that this is better than going out to a club of any sorts and getting drunk there, among throngs of people and music loud enough to split one's head."

Loki: He did not quite understand what she meant by "club" but supposed it was a place she did not seem to enjoy, judging by the expression ridden upon her face when she spoke of it. He nodded. "So I take it you are enjoying this?" he pressed, wishing to be proven correct, that she was truly enjoying it rather than continuing to be stubborn and not wish to admit this was relaxing. He could even begin to feel the warmth of the drink beginning to spread through his chest with each sip as he neared finishing the bottle.

Luna: "I… I am, actually, yes. So far, so good," she said with a small smile, nearing the end of her first - and only - bottle. It was not as terrible, and the effects were none that she could feel. Of course, she did not expect to feel very much after such a small amount, but she was glad for the lack of effects nevertheless.

Loki: Loki smirked, absolutely pleased with himself. "Splendid," he said with a small smile. "Take another, while you're at it," he requested, looking pointedly to the bag before he would rise to fetch himself a third bottle. He did not want to look like Thor and binge on all of the alcohol presented.

Luna: She watched him take yet another bottle. "Anything yet?" she asked, gesturing towards it and him, wondering briefly if she'd bought enough. Ever so slowly, she took another one for herself. Her own were much smaller, the alcohol within them easier on the mouth and the body, itself, for which she was grateful. It tasted well enough, though with almost each gulp, the taste changed ever so slightly, in the smallest of ways. But further than this, she would not go; she'd only bought as much for herself.

Loki: He looked at her and contemplated how he was feeling. "Perhaps another bottle," he replied with a small shrug, feeling the warmth through his middle stomach, relaxing the muscles that were strained earlier. "So, Luna," he continued after another quick swig, "I'd imagine you have been with many a man, no?" he asked lightly, not thinking much upon the sudden change of topic.

Luna: She blinked a few times at him incredulously. "I don't know whether that was a compliment or an insult," she said, a frown on her face. "If you consider three many, then yes. Otherwise - no." She barely noticed the continuing sips she took.

Loki: He shook his head. "A compliment, my dear," he replied, enjoying the look upon her face, not believing he would ask such a thing. "I would say it would be typical for one whose life is so very short," he replied with a shrug, suddenly rather curious of what other men had her. "I am sure they treated you well."

Luna: "How did we get to this, exactly?" she asked, though she didn't precisely expect an answer, shifting her weight in the chair, her fingertips gliding about the smooth glass of the bottle. This was not exactly something she thought she would be discussing with him. "They have, yes, up until a certain point."

Loki: He frowned. “Why, might I ask, did they treat you well 'to a certain point’?"

Luna: The bottle of hers did not go unforgotten for long. "That is something you should ask them, because I'm not sure. After all, you don't see me with anyone now, do you?"

Loki: He scoffed and nodded. "Yes, I see that. But you should learn to accept a compliment when it is given... I don't simply hand them out freely," he added with another deep gulp. "Besides, you very well deserve a good man, hmm? At least, I believe you do."

Luna: The smile that curved her lips was grateful, and so was her nod to him. "Thank you. A great many people believe they deserve good people to share their life with. Here, at least," she said with a small shrug. "However, the men I was with were not for me, which showed a little too late for my liking."

Loki: He smiled slightly back at her. "And why is that?" he asked quietly, wistfully wondering why they would reject such a woman.

Luna: Her lips pressed slightly and her smile diminished as she contemplated the answer to his question. "Disagreements in things neither could overlook," she said finally in an attempt to sum up the problems she's encountered during her relationships. One was hardly lengthy enough to be considered a relationship, but perhaps, it counted. She finished her bottle and set it aside.

Loki: He nodded once. "I see," he replied, knowing very well he could not relate. He had disagreements with Sigyn too numerous to count. Her very presence in his life was enough for him to disagree with, so much that "disagreements" became an understatement very quickly. "Perhaps one day, then, no?" he asked, taking another slow, thoughtful swig at the very painstaking thought of Sigyn.

Luna: "I hope so.." she tried to keep her voice light as she looked down at her hands which she folded over in her lap. Why was there not a subject for them to discuss without it inevitably taking a turn for the worse? It was exasperating, trying to find some grounds which would be safe. Almost impossible.

Loki: He quietly watched her sudden somber expression. "Do not worry so," he replied quietly, walking over to dispose of the two empty bottles and picked up yet another one, the warmth almost evident within him. He looked at the label thoughtfully as the drink was called "whiskey"... a surprisingly strong Midgardian drink, he conjectured as he opened the fourth bottle. "I am sure, my lady, whomever you choose to marry shall be very lucky."

Luna: She couldn't help but give him a genuinely pleased smile, his words warming her. Or perhaps it was the alcohol. She was unsure. "Thank you very much, Loki," she said, noticing him taking yet another bottle.

While talking, she did not notice how many he had gone through, and when she looked, she was more than surprised. "Loki, that's… Oh, dear," she said in slight disbelief, wondering if it had any influence on him yet. Such amounts would sent a regular human being to the hospital with alcohol poisoning. She looked at the bottle curiously, then extended her hand towards it. "May I?"

Loki: He nodded with a small smirk as he extended the bottle to her, figuring he was having enough, judging by the look on her face as he grabbed yet another one. "It might be a bit bitter to you, my dear," he replied. "Perhaps not the same as your little drinks, but I cannot be sure..." He felt the warm, dazed sensation begin to drift through him, despite the way he acted, his feet still steady and his mind still almost entirely able.

Luna: She did not plan on taking the bottle from him and keeping it to herself, no; she but wished to try. She took a breath, and a tentative gulp, which was followed by an instantaneous burning all about her tongue, down her throat and straight to her chest. She grimaced and gave him the bottle back. "Holy…” She coughed. “No, still hate it.” She did not wish to swallow again, in case it brought the taste again. “ _Damn_ , that is disgusting."

Loki: He shrugged, taking the bottle back. "It might be..." he replied with a shrug. "It is bitter... I do enjoy bitter-tasting things. No telling why." He looked over to her with her disgusted expression still written all over her face, wondering for a moment whether she was feeling the effects, as well.

Luna: She knew even from the smell that came from the bottle that she would find it as horrible as ever, but in case something changed, she wished to make sure. "I need some water," she said, rising from her chair and then stopping in her tracks. Her brows drew together as her head felt a tinge pressured. She has not had very much to drink, she thought... Perhaps it was just the immediate aftereffect of the whiskey. She took slow, but sure steps towards the bottles of water, needing to push away the rancid taste from her mouth.

Loki: He watched as she seemed unsteady in her sudden movements as she went towards her storage of water, and immediately he knew there were some effects. His thoughts were filled with the fact of how adorable and small she looked as she walked in such a way. "Are you alright?" he asked gently as she began to gulp down water.

Luna: She gave him several short nods as she tried to chase away all the traces of the fact she even gave such a beverage another chance. "Thank you, yes," she said, bringing down the delightfully cool bottle with herself, as she went back slowly to retake her place on the chair. Her legs felt rather heavy, she noticed somewhere in the back of her mind, wondering at the fact that it took her getting up and moving to understand that something changed. Things felt... dull.

Loki: He scooted even closer to her, sitting nearly at the edge of his chair, his knees nearly touching her own. "Are you sure, my lady?" he asked with a small smirk, feeling quite dazed, himself. "No matter, I suppose it is only to be expected," he replied quietly. He found her almost... sweet... the way she was flushed with the small bits of alcohol within her.

Luna: She rubbed her face slightly; she became aware of such a new state of hers a little too late and a little too suddenly for her liking. Perhaps she had a crooked tolerance and it affected her more easily than it did others, she thought crankily. "I'm alright, yeah," she confirmed again. She did not slur, as she was nowhere near drunk. There was simply a gentle dullness and a hardly noticeable heaviness. Her mind was still more or less safe, she told herself.

Loki: He nodded. "Are you not at ease? As I believe was the purpose of this?" he asked lightly, tilting his head to the side. "I believe mortals call such a thing... 'bonding', or something such."

Luna: Her hands dropped back into her lap and she looked up at him, a little startled to find him a bit closer than she expected, but ultimately decided she didn't care. "Is that what we're doing? I wasn't aware," she chuckled lightly. She knew people who bonded through alcohol, but it wasn't something she thought entirely highly of. Certainly, there was something in the joint experience, but did it count at all if memory of it lacked?

Loki: He laughed. "Perhaps... Perhaps not my definition of bonding, but yes, I do believe that this could be almost it... In general," he replied. "Thor often called _this_ bonding, but I daresay it was much more violent than right now," he replied with amusement.

Luna: "Hopefully, it'll not be so in this case," she muttered, leaning forwards slightly to rest her elbows on her legs. "I guess it can be called that, but this way of bonding is not one I'd like to make a habit of."

Loki: He arched his brow, leaning further towards her so his face was mere inches away from her own. "Oh?" he asked. "And why not? You, yourself, said this is enjoyable. Perhaps I should like to tailor this to my tastes, hmm?"

Luna: "I said it was enjoyable, not _the most_ enjoyable. I can think of other, better things," she said, glancing at the ground, then back up at him, wondering if he was getting closer, or if she was doing so, or if it was all just a trick of the alcohol. She couldn't tell. "Your tastes? Meaning...?"

Loki: "I am unsure you would like me to explain," he replied, his voice low and careful, calculated as he looked back into her eyes. She did smell very lovely, he noted, but it could very well be the mix of alcohol upon her lips and her natural scent... He could not be sure, much less why he liked the scent.

Luna: "Then why mention it?" she said, growing more aware of him than she was of herself and her own words. "Besides, if you're unsure of something, make sure..." her voice took on the qualities of his, lowering, growing more quiet. There was blunt thudding in her head; perhaps it was the heartbeat, she thought distantly. She kept her eyes on him, but they kept flitting from one to the other feature of his face.

Loki: He sighed, placing two fingertips underneath her chin so she would keep her eyes upon his. "Because it is not my choice to make...” he replied quietly. "Unless you should like to find out..."


	29. Chapter 29

Luna: Her dark eyes focused on his green ones in the same instant his fingers made contact, with just a hint of a frown tugging at her eyebrows - part confusion of what was happening and why, and part from attempting to clear her head a little bit more from the hazy daze it was stumbling into. "Would you like me to?" she said in a voice only a hint above a whisper. He was so very close, and she could feel clearly the cold of his fingertips beneath her chin, but... Why? She almost blinked, yet his eyes held hers fast.

Loki: He didn't move for the longest time, searching her dark eyes for something... anything to give him a purpose to continue on. Why was he doing this, really? Why would he want this from a mortal girl? But she was so very... delicate. He felt as though he was holding glass... a very warm glass, so very soft and strange. How quickly he pushed all thoughts of never touching another being out of his hazed head, forgetting all that she had said to him, all he had done to her. She was beautiful, he thought as he searched over her face, so close to his, and she could very well be his if he continued to ignore all that had happened before this point.

He could not withstand it much longer. He closed the distance, placing his lips upon her cheek and then drifted over to her lips. He pulled away much faster, though, scrutinizing her for any reaction.

Luna: The moment his lips came into contact with her cheek, she exhaled briefly, after which her chest began rising and falling at a pace much quicker, racing with her heartbeat that was now unsteadily ticking in her head, easily louder than any thoughts that might have existed momentarily. The ones that did were all askew, mulling together into a mass she could hardly comprehend or make any sense of, making it easier for her to simply cease thinking altogether. Yes, that was better... But she could not ignore her own reactions to his sudden closeness, this new touch, which she returned ever so gingerly, but not before she took a small moment to wonder at the feeling of his lips... She knew that any attempts at relaxing would be fruitless, so she discarded those attempts at once. Once he pulled away, she looked at him curiously, and for less than a fraction of a second, a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips.

Loki: The moment he saw the smile come upon her lips, he moved closer, his hand rising to her neck as he carefully embraced her, his lips coming against hers once more, this time heavier and deeper. Her warmth was surprisingly comfortable, as his hand and his lips seemed for that moment to never be cold again. The hand went to the small of her back as the kiss deepened, lingering on as he had the urge to taste every bit of the alcohol that stained her skin. All he could think of was how soft her skin was, how small and delicate and dainty her body felt in his hands...

Luna: She drew in a slow, slightly quivery breath as she pressed her lips to his in return, her eyelids fluttering shut as she subconsciously leaned into his touch further. The cold that his hand spread wherever it touched upon was so very soothing to her, so very refreshing. It banished all the questions from her head, and even more - her mind was blissfully free from heaviness, and instead, her awareness of _him_ grew. She scooted towards the edge of her chair in an attempt to get even closer to him, one of her hands venturing into his hair, tangling it about her fingers as her other hand went to rest at his shoulder. With each second she noticed more; the feel of his long hair as her fingers combed through it, the impossibly enjoyable feeling of his lips against her own, his scent, his breathing...

Loki: Pleased, he smoothed his hand down along the fabric of her jacket. He leaned further into her touch as he felt her small fingers entwine about his hair. He only smiled as he continued to kiss her, wishing to feel the entirety of her warm body, to have it against him... but he had to be patient. He could not scare her away, not now... He wanted this woman, and before he was only ignorant to it. Without much thought, his arms slipped around her back and underneath her knees and pulled her on his lap.

Luna: The feeling of his lips curving into a smile brought the same to her own, her heart continuing to hammer faster, surprising her anew - just when she thought it could not get any more frantic, it proved her wrong. More than gladly did she accept the change of position, her arms coming to lock around his shoulders and his neck, and she found herself arching her back in order to draw closer to him, her incredulous need guiding her. Her lips followed, savoring every millimeter of his, noticing the faint scent of the whiskey somewhere in the back of her mind, but ultimately - not caring. She kept her eyes closed as she toyed with his hair and lower, her increasingly heated fingertips padding upon the back of his neck. There was only him now.

Loki: He sighed as he continued letting his hands roam over her body, the fact that she was arching against his own body made his head nearly spin, the confusion within his mind growing, as he did not want to be touched, but at the same time, he ached for it. He let this continue for a good long while until he could take it no longer. He moved, keeping her upon him, but enough so that when he rose from the chair she still was cradled in his arms. He moved carefully over to the bed, knowing very well he could easily fall over given the right moment, his lips still connected to hers.

Luna: She clung to him as he carried her to one of the beds, not breaking the kiss for a single second, her arms only tightening about him, not loosening up even as he lowered them. Her eyes still shut, she slowly, but surely allowed herself to give in entirely, letting the need and the alcohol lead her body to explore his; her hands never rested in one place for longer than necessary to feel each inch of it, and always they would return, traveling about over the same places, unable to feel enough. If her mind was not so filled to the very brim of him and all about him, she might have found herself wondering or questioning. But there was no room for that at the moment.

Loki: He found himself leaning over her, feeling her hands longing to touch every bit of him, and with every touch of hers, he felt himself continually giving in to her, his mind being lost to him, for it was only her body he wished for at that very moment. He parted from her lips and began to work along her jawline, slowly trailing over her skin and down to her neck. Her warmth was becoming very addicting very fast, and he wondered for the slightest moment if she truly wanted this, or if it was merely the alcohol... She would be quicker to insult him not but hours ago, his dulled mind considered even as he kissed along her neck to where he felt her pulse beating, his teeth lingering at that very spot until, finally, he bit down just hard enough.

Luna: Thoughts were gone the very instant they appeared, so brief she hardly had time to register them; in fact, very little went registered but his touches, his sounds, his lean body moving against hers, stoking her, enticing her, heating her to no end. Once his lips moved on to her neck, her hand found its way up his prominent spine to the back of his head, where she played with his hair. Her other hand, in the meantime, grasped his shirt at his side and attempted to bring him even closer than he presently was, her mind hardly reasoning the fact that there was not much closer he could get. At the same time, her body lifted slightly to greet his every so often, and she was highly unaware of the sounds that escaped her at every kiss and every bite he left.

Loki: He let out a grumbling laugh as his teeth played along her neck. He felt her fingers in his hair, still, as she seemed to have an odd fascination with it while she toyed with it. He brought his own hand to her darker hair as she lifted herself to him, his fingers wrapping around it, determining with his own fascination how soft it was, as well. He moved his head down, deciding at that moment that he didn't want her clothed... But perhaps it was too early. He could not tell with his alcohol-addled mind. He tugged at the bottom of her shirt, indicating what he wanted, and then looked up into her heavy-lidded eyes for permission.

Luna: She glanced down at him, seeing him as such delivering a strong pang of excitement to each fiber of her being. A grin spread across her lips, and she subconsciously bit the lower one, giving him a short nod. To make it easier for both of them, she sat up, leaning in to attach her lips to his once more before allowing him to remove her shirt. It was almost surprising to her that she felt as if she did not have to think not even once, let alone twice about it. He felt too good.

Loki: He tore her shirt from her body, hungry to have her warm skin against him, and he tossed it to the side carelessly before letting his hands roam over her back, letting her press herself against him as she kissed him, his lips curling into a smile as he did so. He could not remember a time he has enjoyed a woman this much... In fact, he could not remember a time when he had enjoyed such great _warmth_ this much.

Luna: She was so very unwilling to place any distance between his lips and hers, but that desire clashed with the one to remove his shirt, as well. The latter prevailed as she mustered up the willpower to pull away, her hands taking the hem of his shirt and starting to drive it upwards, her eyes instantly lowering to see that which she wished to touch for hours upon end, the soft, cold, pale skin... A shiver ran through her as with a hurried pace, she tried to remove it entirely, growing more and more impatient by the second.

Loki: He helped her, unbuttoning his shirt quickly, letting her slide it from his arms as he tossed it aside, his eyes only lingering over her body for a short moment, taking in her curves and her figure, hungrily taking it in, his hands wandering over his sides as he knelt over her.

Luna: She took several moments of her own to gaze upon his chest, his stomach... The lighter bits of distorted skin had caught her attention, and she blinked, unsure if it were just her vision being tampered with. To ensure, her hands followed not far behind her eyes, as she traced along the parts, feeling a texture different from the rest. Scars, she concluded, looking up at him in small worry, unsure now if he would let her touch him as such, see him as such. She did not mind.

Loki: He looked down to what caught her eye, almost forgetting the amount of scars he had collected in the past many years, the look of worry ridden in her features not going unknown to him. He tried to dismiss it, acting as though she had not seen that part of him, but he was unsure whether she would still want such a thing; it did not seem to phase her as much. In that moment, he felt as though she might just want him as much as he wanted her... truly. Not because he was a Prince, because he wore such a title no longer, not because he was a god, because he was admittedly weak, and not because she was drunk, because she only had a few drinks... And that, in itself, felt impeccably wonderful. He lowered himself so his chest was pressed against her bare one, his feet dangling partially off the side of the bed, his lips coming to press much more gently to hers.

Luna: She returned the kiss gladly, exhaling slowly in relief that he did not retreat and did not cease this altogether. More slowly, she allowed her bare fingertips to brush along his arms before returning upwards, with each second lowering more of her hand until her entire palm was pressed against his flesh. Every so often she would come across a scar, but her caresses did not waver for a moment. It felt so very liberating to not consider absolutely anything save for what was in front of her - the incredible, slim body that she simply could not part with, the almost possessive kisses he granted her, the knowing touches, interchanging between lighter and firmer... He lured reactions out of her impeccably. In between their kisses, she did not hesitate for a moment in slipping her tongue past his lips, growing eager to taste him.

Loki: He was becoming greedier and greedier every moment. He let his hands linger about her waist, one of his legs sliding between hers as he stayed over her body, encasing her almost entirely with himself, her hand still pressed warmly against his chest. How he wished to be entirely warm at that moment, to have her body never leave his. He let a low growl escape him as the hand around her waist began to tug at her bottoms, wishing to do entirely away of her silly Midgardian clothing, but his eyes tentatively went to hers almost reflexively, not wishing to suddenly be denied.

Luna: It was inevitable that they would finish what they started; she did not expect otherwise, and as far as she was concerned, she'd not be the one to stop it from playing out entirely. There was a haze over her mind, made of alcohol and pure need, coupled with the sounds produced by their bodies echoing within. All together - she wanted this. She wanted him. And she was not sure whether that need was her own or one fashioned by the drinks she's had - she had not had enough of it for it to be entirely its fault, she reasoned with what minuscule part of rationality there was in her. But even if it was the alcohol, all it would do was strengthen the desire she'd already had in her…

A small frown came across her features as this was not something she wanted to think about. In fact, she did not want to think at all. She wanted him. With that thought, she rose her hips and took hold of her own pants, pushing them lower and lower, all the while maintaining the gaze she held with him.

Loki: When the pants reached her ankles, he slid them off of her and tossed them aside, and then did the same with himself, throwing his in the same direction; his eyes never left hers as he beheld her body and then lowered his own to hers, continuing to ravish her with touches and kisses. "Are you certain?" he murmured, his brow furrowing slightly, partly out of reassurance for himself that there were reasons he wished for her, that this was not because of the alcohol, and partly because this could very well end any sort of relationship between the both of them if she comes to find that this was not of her consent.

Luna: She brushed off a strand of his hair as it framed his face while he leaned over her, looking at him with a smirk playing on her lips, meeting every kiss of his with her own. How caring, she thought briefly, though she did like it so... "Yes," she breathed out almost inaudibly, one of her legs making its way up his and ending up wrapped around his waist, as if emphasizing her answer. "And you?" she added thoughtfully after a moment of slight struggle for clarity, though it seemed to evade her more successfully than she would've liked to admit. There was no way for her to even out her heavy breathing, nor to calm her racing heartbeat that sent an exhilarating rush through every bit of her body. Now bare, the cold of his body reached her more fully than ever, and it made her shiver for several moments until she got used to it, realizing soon afterwards that she quite liked it. It gave relief to her almost burning skin.

Loki: He sighed. "Of course," he replied with a small, strange smile, wondering how that could even be a question. It was _he_ who requested it in the first place. He leaned in to kiss her neck as he let himself settle in between her legs, trailing up her leg slowly and stopping every other moment to lightly dig his fingertips in. He could not have brought her any closer and still he tried.

From then on, it grew into an even more pleasurable daze, his hunger for her only increased monumentally with each touch, each movement. He felt as if he was diving off of the edge of the cliff, his control being gone the instant he stepped off.


	30. An apology

Dear readers, (if there are any of you left by now),

We are terribly sorry for the massive gap between the latest chapter and the one we will publish very soon. Life has caught up with us and we have had little time for anything, let alone this. This is only to apologize and reassure you that the chapters _will_ be coming, still, and that we _will_ finish the story - it will have an end, that much we are certain of. But for now we have to focus on different matters before we focus on this one. However, if I am not wrong, the new chapter will come out sometime in the next 10 days!

Thank you very much for sticking with us and for reading and hopefully not being upset over the lack of activity on our part. I assure you, it's not without reason, and we will post soon!


	31. Chapter 31

Luna: The morning came, though its light did not permeate the curtains fortunately drawn across the windows. Luna lay next to Loki, her arm draped loosely around his waist and her head resting on his chest, providing him with all the warmth her small body possessed. She barely felt the cold anymore. Unconscious, she held him close, as the effects of the alcohol retreated slowly through the night, leaving her mind as bare as she physically was, tangled in the blanket against him. She had barely moved while she slept, and if by chance she did, it was only to unconsciously follow his movements.

Loki: He awoke after a few hours of resting, looking down at Luna who was pressed up against him. He had to admit that he felt more at peace than he had been in a very long time, with her warm body was pressed against his, he had been more fulfilled than he thought he was allowed to be. The alcohol was only aiding in giving a small, dull ache in the back of his mind, but nothing that he could not ignore. If he were to hear that the events of last night would occur weeks ago, he would have laughed in the face of whoever said such a thing to him, but now he was reluctant. He desired her, he knew it... he could feel the ache, and then the feeling of satisfaction when she drifted off to sleep besides him. It was not the alcohol... Or perhaps it was, but it simply... helped him. The confusion that swept through him only made him stumble upon thoughts that he did not necessarily desire, and so he pushed them out of his mind and leaned his head against the crown of hers, his mind eventually retaining the blissful blankness as he waited for her to wake.

Luna: After a while, consciousness returned to her, slowly, almost painstakingly. She opened one of her eyes tentatively, yet the light, as dim as it was, was less than favorable to her in either case; the mere action delivered a thud to her head and she hastily closed her eyes again, seeking shelter from it in the crook of his neck. She squirmed ever so slightly, trying to feel and determine where her limbs were and if they were still usable. She grew increasingly aware of the bare body laying languidly against her own just as bare one. And yet, after the slightly nervous, surprised beat of her heart, she relaxed once more, sighing sleepily. She felt so very calm... So very safe.

Loki: He felt her warm face press into his neck, a soft smile coming upon his lips at the small girl's seeking comfort from him. Him, of all people. He hardly moved, save for his head that eventually moved upwards, away from her own.

The initial haze of the alcohol had been lifted, but he still felt an inner amount of confusion within him. What he did the night prior was almost entirely uncalled for. It must have taken her entirely by surprise, he considered for a moment. What must she think of him now?

Luna: With each minute, she became more and more awake, though never less lazy or unwilling to move. She felt him move, however, but she retained her silence, unsure firstly of her voice, if she were to speak; secondly, what words she would even give him right now. She hardly shifted, keeping her arm around him, for she was simply far too comfortable to do anything to usurp it. She was quite sure that if he wished to pull away, he would. He... Loki.

She frowned slightly as she tried to have her aching mind grasp the fact of just who was laying next to her, as exposed to her as she was to him. She began searching her mind for memories, though there were some elusive ones which she could not capture regardless of how she strained to. At one point, she decided that perhaps it was better that way, as what memories and images she did still hold in her head brought heavy blush to her cheeks. How in god's name were they here, now, when not a full day before that he resented her each and every touch, even her presence?

Loki: He blinked a few times looking down to her flushed visage, wondering for a brief moment what, exactly, she was thinking. "Good morning," he murmured blankly, seeing that she was very much so awake, very much so as confused as he was.

Luna: Still uncertain of her voice, she gave him a small nod, her head tilting up and her gaze rising to meet his. She held it levelly, though innumerable questions shone within it; the curiosity of the situation had her mind twisting in incredulity more quickly than she wanted to let it, as she tried to comprehend everything that went on. Parts were missing - parts of conversation, parts of _everything_ were simply gone and she felt somewhat compromised... She did not know just how much was missing, though there was plenty enough remaining in her head that was enough for her to patch everything together with hardly any holes. Yet she was not at all fond of the fact that there were some things which were not obtainable anymore, save for his potential help... Questions were just lining up, demanding to be answered, and she did not know where to start. One of her hands gently slid across his side to come to a rest on his chest.

Loki: He breathed in heavily as he felt her hand drift along his torso, looking to his numerous scars to the small, warm hand that lingered about him, and he seemed to relax into it, rather than tense as he had before. How strange, he thought. His lips pressed together into a straight line as he looked down at her, his own finger trailing lightly, like a feather, across her arm as his breathing, that he did not realize had reflexively begin to heighten as if everything had gone back to normal, evened out slowly. "I know you are curious..." he replied to the look in her eyes, "And I hardly have answers."

Luna: She gave yet another nod as a response before murmuring: "That makes two of us, then..." She lowered her gaze, averting it from his and retaking the place her head held before it rose, finding it quite comfortable and secure. Perhaps there were some questions that had answers to them, but momentarily, she hardly dared ask any. She did not enjoy the uncomfortable way this was heading, and if she did not do something about it, it would spiral downwards terribly. She let her fingertips gingerly brush back and forth on his chest and his collarbones; what did she even want?

She closed her eyes and found out that her body would tell her just about enough - before she realized it, before reasoning, she'd squirmed even closer to him. That should imply it was what she wanted, no? Her eyes shut more tightly at the upcoming confusion, though she tried to keep her face more blank - facial expressions ached enough at that moment to make her prevent them. She knew what she did not want, at least - for their time together to be spent in even more unease than usual. She did not want to let her mind assault her before she was even fully awake, while she had what she was quite sure was a headache... She _wanted_ to enjoy this, as she found that it was easy enough to.

Loki: He looked over to her as she seemed to lower her gaze away from him, almost... Embarrassed? He could not tell. Why should she be embarrassed? "Are you well, my lady?" he asked quietly. He, on the other hand, did not seem to entirely understand what he was feeling, quite frankly. Whether he wanted a mortal woman or not was a very good question... Whether this event would lead onto other things was another one entirely. He sighed heavily as he sank into her touch, feeling a growing comfort from it, even though the touch, in itself, was a battle of reflexes that he sought to win.

Luna: She contemplated his question, taking her time before she answered. She was glad that the question was _are you well_ and not _how are you_ , as the two were almost wholly different. Was she well? Yes, she was quite sure she was. Save for the tiredness that seemed would never leave, and the dull, blunt weight that pressured her head, she was very much so well. "Yes," she replied finally, "and you?" she asked, the words ringing familiar as she finally recalled of uttering much the same ones mere hours ago. She knew that this did not have to be awkward in any way, and she was willing to prevent it from being; she but hoped that he would want to, as well. It came to her as a surprise to realize that she did not mind laying with him as such, as they were momentarily. Slowly, she was becoming more and more sure that it was what she wanted. But how did she not register it earlier? What happened? How did she...? She sighed lightly, trying to stop the flood of questions coming again.

Loki: "Splendid.” He nodded. "I am, yes," he replied quietly, his voice very thin. He moved his hand very slowly, continuing to lightly touch along her arm. Of course he was fine. He had not felt more content in a very long time. He felt the most at peace, the most satisfied, and the most relaxed. If he shut his eyes, he could very well imagine he was back in his own bed within the palace, holding a woman. But this was not just any woman, now, was it?

Luna: Faint traces of a smile began collecting on her lips before they created a whole one, one very soft, very pleased. He was caressing her arm in such gentle motions that she could hardly place it with him. And yet, how fitting it was... "Good, good..." she whispered gently, feeling quite a bit of relief to hear that he, too, was well. _And why should they not be_ , a defiant murmur of a thought asked. Her own caresses continued, expanding the area upon which they were free to touch, paying very little heed to the scars, save for when she happened across them, in which moment she noticed it in the back of her mind, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. It was not the time to think anything about them. All was surprisingly well. At least, it felt so.

Loki: He nodded in response, looking down to see her smile once more. His hand lightly drifted into the locks of her hair, his fingers combing through them gently, as if the heavier touches might very well cause her to break once more. "I believe we do have another day to ourselves to rest," he noted quietly, feeling how soft her hair was, remembering faintly just how enjoyable it was for him. "If you are still feeling the after-effects of the night..."

Luna: "I would like that very much.." she said with a voice just as quiet and with a smile unwavering. She'd all but forgotten about the fact that they were to remain there for a little while longer, and being reminded of such a fact made her happy. If she had to get up and leave momentarily, or even in a few hours time, it would have been more than difficult for her. This way, with the knowledge that she has some more time to rest, to process, to prepare... She drew in a content sigh, savoring the feeling of his fingers in her hair, finding it admittedly deeply soothing. Her fingers which padded along his chest now did so down one of his arms, stopping on the back of his larger hand and lingering there, though very barely even touching. If someone had told her even a day prior that all the moments she has spent with him would ultimately lead to the present one, she would hardly have believed. Not because she thought it impossible on her part, but on his.

Loki: He watched as her hand trailed along his body, her small fingers brushing along his skin and onto his hand. He sighed heavily, seeing her pleased smile, but he was unsure, what, exactly, to say. He could think of nothing to say that would be deemed unsuitable or even embarrassing, random. He hadn't an idea where such thoughts came from, but he felt as if... there was _more_ behind what he did. She smiled at him as though she simply _enjoyed_ being with him, and that pleased him more than anything. He could not remember a woman who actually enjoyed his presence. And that, in itself, made him very happy. Happier than he could dare say.

Luna: Her motions hardly stopped as she traced the contours of his hand, stroking along the back of it, across the knuckles and down the fingers. It was new, all this... She was seizing the chance while it was still present, doing that which he so obstinately rejected time and time again, and she reveled in every second of it. His skin, his touch, it felt so familiar to her from the night prior, save for the fact that now, she was experiencing it with less of a hazy mind, feeling more clearly - if not for the fact that her head was aching and hindering her.

How strange, she thought to herself. This was Loki's hand that she was caressing, Loki's body she was wrapped around, Loki who took her last night... To her mild surprise, she didn't feel disconcerted by what transpired... She was only baffled by the fact that it _did_ happen.

Loki: He could see the awe in her features even as she traced his hand as though she had never seen a hand in her life. He watched with utter curiosity as she seemed very entranced by him and what his body had to offer. He hummed, trying to take in all of this, but finding he could not possibly. His other hand that was not being occupied by Luna's gentle touches, rose to sweep across her cheek, finding it also very warm, so he lingered there for a moment as if transfixed by the very concept of touching. It was all new to him, despite all of the women he has been with in the past.

Luna: The second she felt his hand upon her cheek, her eyes wandered over to meet his in a gaze as soft as their touches were. It was as if neither of them had never seen each other before and only now were they growing increasingly aware, taking their time to see, to feel, to experience. Her hand gave a small squeeze to his before it ever so gingerly moved up, lingering a mere inch away from his cheek and his jaw, slightly hesitant. She held his gaze, though hers grew inquisitive, wondering if he might possibly allow her to...

Loki: He looked curiously at her as her hand lingered over his face, her eyes questioning. He supposed it was almost idiotic, as they both had managed to touch several parts of one another night prior, and now, with the fact that she was asking to touch his face, it was almost as if that did not exist. That hardly suppressed the amount of discomfort that reflexively filled him, however, as the alcohol was not there to further suppress it. He nodded encouragingly, anyway, careful not to let the discomfort show through his reaction.

Luna: With a single fingertip, she drew a line across his cheekbone, lowering along his jawline and to the chin, where she stopped. So cold, so smooth, her mind filled in. There was a smile curving her lips, still, insistent on staying there. Then, she allowed the same fingertip to brush ever so lightly along his lower lip before it retracted and replaced itself on his chest once more. Her eyes, however, remained on his lips; she'd kissed those, she remembered with a small, pleased blush to her cheeks. How new, how very new. And yet, she was more than content. One of her legs tangled further between the two of his.

Loki: He tried not to shudder when he felt her fingertip drifting softly upon his cheek, but the fact she was smiling relieved him somewhat, her cheeks flushing a rather attractive shade of red. He found it odd to an extent, as he had not expected any of this... He expected she would wake in the morning, angry about what he caused her to do, but now, with her content and her body entwined with his, he began to question why he ever thought such a thing. He settled down once more, his heartbeat slowing.

Luna: It seemed that his reflexes when it came to touching were quite successfully distracted into nonexistence by the alcohol, but now, she sensed some reluctance, but ultimately, there was acceptance. Tearing her eyes away from his face which she now knew much better than she ever expected to, she sneaked her face back into his neck, where she gently rubbed her nose against it, settling even more comfortably against him wish a peaceful sigh. There was still struggling in her mind to come to terms with everything, including her own rather unexpected happiness, but she left the wonder somewhat aside. "I like this..." the smallest of whispers escaped her, an admission to not only him, but to herself, as well.

Loki: He nodded, careful as her face was upon his neck, her warm nose brushing against his skin. "As do I," he replied quietly, honestly. "You are so very warm..." he murmured, with a pleased albeit small smile. "It is lovely."

Luna: She was unsure precisely what she expected as a response to her own words - most likely silence on his part - but this was not it. It made her stomach twist nervously and the smile on her lips grow, which in turn made her even more confused. Why such a reaction? Why was it her first one? She settled for a safe answer - she was merely glad that he did not resent her for what happened. She nearly pulled away when he said she was warm, as it triggered a memory in her head that he was not so very fond of such warmth that she had, yet when he continued, she remained where she was, in ever growing wonder.

"Thank you," she murmured, "I can say the same thing for your cold.. It's so very soothing." she admitted. It was one of the most irking issues with the relationships she had with others; whether it was sexual or mere sleeping, she would overheat, as her own body warmth would mingle with that of the other person, leading her inevitably to overheating and waking up in discomfort, having to put some distance between them. But this.. This was so very good...

Loki: He smiled faintly, exhaling. Most often, women found his cold uncomfortable whenever they wake up to having him besides them, and they often find it too odd that they leave sooner than he'd wish. He tried to set aside his disbelief at the fact she found it soothing, and that, in itself, was promising. "How very odd," he replied, looking down at her, "You, my lady... very odd..." he added with a small laugh, brushing his cool fingertips along the cheek that was not so buried in his neck.

Luna: "You don't seem to mind much," she chuckled, lowering her arm to wrap it around his waist, tucking her hand securely between his bare back and the mattress. She was unsure whether to take it as a compliment or an offense, but she opted for the former. Things seemed strangely _right_ , to the point where she had to shove everything unnecessary out of her head, simply so she could drag out this incredible peace as far as she could. She dared not let it go; there would be time for that later.

Loki: Loki scoffed. "Yes, but you most definitely should mind," he replied with a low, amused chuckle. He clicked his tongue. "In bed with the god of mischief..." he shook his head, not wishing to offend her, but rather place things more into retrospect. He could see that it might just bother her, but the fact that there was a sort of equality amongst the both of them as they both laid there bare, and the fact that it did not change the fact that he made love to her, but only because he was a man, and she, a woman. That he was a god had nothing to do with it in that moment.

Luna: She nodded, the words almost too difficult to believe in. She tilted her head up, her face remaining quite close to his own, a smile on her face and an eyebrow raising. "In bed with a mortal," she pointed out, though it hardly mattered to her. Even if he was no god, he was still Loki, with his own personality that did not wholly linger on the fact that he was an immortal, with his behavior, his actions, his reactions, his words... It was so very difficult to process, and she knew that it would take its time.

Loki: He smirked. "Ah, yes," he replied quietly. "That does not change the fact you are very..." He lingered off for a short while, knowing his words might very well embarrass him at any rate. "… attractive," he finished after a while. "I tend to have a weakness for alluring things... You are no exception."

Luna: "Strange," she said, her voice quiet, "I didn't know your weakness would be things so frequent," she could not chase away the grateful, appreciative look in her eyes, though, as she gazed upon him. What a compliment it was, she thought, feeling rather warm within, as well, a different sort of warmth, one that mingled with quite a bit of pride and satisfaction. "Thank you, though," she said, leaning in to place a light, warm kiss to his cheek.

Loki: He tensed, naturally, as he felt her lips upon his cheek, but he immediately tried to ignore it, as it was something that he enjoyed... "You are... welcome," he replied, almost as a question rather than a statement. "I suppose, being placed into such a position as I have for so many months and years, you come to find such familiarity and aforementioned weaknesses quite welcoming... that is, if said position does not forbid such familiarity..."

Luna: She gave a small nod, though she, as always, could not fully understand without the experience, itself. However, that did not stop her from trying to get as close to the understanding as possible. "I'm sure the position could be convinced into taking back its words," she said, "with time..." she added as an afterthought. She kept finding things to marvel at, things that easily perplexed her - this time, the new one was the lack of reluctance at kissing his cheek, something which she realized only after she'd done it; something she would have given much more thought to, prior to the night before. But the night changed many things, or so it seemed.

Loki: He nodded reluctantly. "I should hope so," he replied as he rather enjoyed her warmth and her gentle touches along his skin. Her willingness to touch him hardly surprised him, as he supposed it was only being withheld simply because he would not allow for it. Otherwise, he might have been more familiar with it.

"So tell me," he added after a long moment of his reminiscing of the night prior, "What is it you wish to do today? We do have a long day in front of us, and though it would be lovely, simply laying here shan't be very... fruitful."

Luna: "Why do we need to make it fruitful..." she muttered more to herself than to him, though she did not expect any sort of answer to her question. "Well," she began after some musing, "you could teach me that levitation you offered," she reminded him. She could not think of very much else for them to do at the moment, save for plan where to go next, but even that would not last them all day. She did not want to tire herself beyond reason, though, but practice was necessary if she was to progress at all. Besides, she reminded herself, it might do him good, as well, when one disregarded the pain it caused him. Another reminder her brain tossed at her without further warning; she was laying here, bare as can be, discussing learning more of magic with him, as if it were the most normal thing one could do.

Loki: "Ah, yes," he replied with a curt nod. "I do suppose that would be useful," he added, running a hand through his askew hair, trying to at least give it some sort of order. He slowly slid out of her grasp, carefully letting her rest upon the pillows as he fetched the pants he found laying randomly upon the floor. He picked them up as well as his shirt and her clothing. He tossed them upon the bed to her and then walked to the bathroom. "I shall wash up and then we shall begin, hmm?" he replied with a small, satisfied smirk when he looked back to her upon the bed, her being just as bare as he, and then shut the door behind him.

He stepped into the shower briefly, cleansing himself of the remnants of the night prior before stepping back out with a towel wrapped about his shoulders, preventing his overly long hair from dripping down. He dried it and used his fingers once more to comb through it as he looked in the mirror, attempting to make himself look at least somewhat cleaned up. He saw an almost entirely separate man in his stead, looking with eyes that were not so tired, but rather bright and hopeful, his cheeks less sallow... He looked as he did when he left Asgard the first time, he considered.

When he was through, he summoned his tunic, letting it form about his torso, knowing very well he was not about to leave the hotel room for the rest of the day. Finding that his cleaner pants were outside the room, he shrugged it off and stepped outside of the bathing room without thinking twice and walked towards where he left them, knowing she had already seen all there was to see.

Luna: Her head rose the moment she heard the door open, and she blinked in surprise to see him exit still more naked than not. Hastily, she looked away, though she'd already seen more than enough several hours ago, trying to divert herself with fixing her hair even further, at least while he got dressed. When she suspected that it was safer, she stopped, and turned her eyes back to him. There was the inevitable excited gleam in her eyes as she made herself comfortable on the bed, leaning against the headboard with a smile just as excited. This was one of the things she truly looked forward to.


	32. Chapter 32

Loki: When he finished dressing himself, he looked over to Luna who was still upon the bed, though fully dressed, grinning as though she was about to receive early Winter Solstice presents. He smirked as he sat himself close to her, though not as close as they had been before. The fact she was grinning about what he was about to teach her made him remember just what had attracted him to her in the first place. The eagerness to learn was attractive in its own right.

"What you should know of magic, as you very well may know already, that you must guide it to do your bidding. Levitation is simply the molding of the energy into a force that is bendable and flexible... like a hand or an arm, but invisible," he explained quietly. "Observe," he added as he looked about the room, letting the magic that seemed to be almost easier to access come to him as it formed about his hands into a tendril of energy. Once he entirely had it within his grasp, he let it unravel into a rope or a string that he wound about a pillow. He let it go about for a moment in midair, letting it simply dangle there until he allowed it to drift over and place itself upon her lap.

Luna: She watched the pillow float over to her, supported by nothing visible, with excitement she could hardly suppress in any way. There was a grin on her face as he had it land in her lap, and she looked over at him ecstatically. She hoped that such strong feelings about the entire ordeal would not hinder her in her concentration, which was crucial for her attempts to even have a chance at being successful. With an exhale which was supposed to calm her, she reflected upon his words... The way she saw it, she had to use the mass of energy to support and dictate the movements, to have it somehow wrap around a thing and move it. However, that was more difficult to do than think about, as she was unsure if she could gather enough energy for such a feat. "I assume I can't yet lift the pillow," she said, a questioning undertone to her voice.

Loki: He shook his head with a small smirk at her ecstatic nature. "No," he replied quietly before looking around the room for a much lighter object for her to begin with. At last, he spotted a pad of paper upon the desk that was provided within the room. He summoned magic to gather around it and lifted it, sending it to him with a small flick of his hand, landing between the both of them. "I believe this would be much simpler," he replied, looking back up to her. "Do you have any questions?" he pressed, knowing that there was a possibility he did not explain it fully enough.

Luna: She hummed, trying to think of any that might help her. "Once I summon the magic to me, all I have to do is envelop the paper with it and guide it as I would guide the energy on its own?" she asked, simply to see if she's understood it well enough. She glanced down at the pad and tore a single sheet of paper from it - this way, it would be even lighter and it would give her a better chance of doing it properly.

Loki: He nodded. "Yes, that is correct," he replied quietly. He then sat back more comfortably onto the bed, patiently waiting for her to continue.

Luna: She settled more comfortably and exhaled, focusing her stare on the piece of paper lying atop the bed. She had trouble calming her heartbeat and obtaining the peace she thought was necessary... Yet somehow, after several long minutes, she managed to get a grip on the energy far faster than she ever had before, to her surprise. She briefly recalled Loki mentioning the fact that she was supposed to beckon the energy to herself, and she supposed, now, that her enthusiasm was good for at least something - perhaps it was that which made the energy more willing to come to her. Nevertheless, she did not question it, and she saw no need - the most important part was that it was there, in her grasp now, and that she ought to work at coaxing it to do what she intended for it to. Unblinking, she gazed at the paper, leading the energy towards it.

Quite suddenly, an image managed to sneak by her guard and invade her mind, a feeling... In her mind's eye flashed a vision of a bare Loki, atop her, his forehead to hers and his cold breath upon her lips-- her magic dispersed as the memory took all of her attention all too quickly. She exhaled sharply, feeling her hands and her face grow warmer. She blinked, suddenly too worried to look at him, in fear that he would criticize.

Loki: He looked at her with a small look of shock, seeing that she very well had it at that moment until she managed to let go of it entirely. He frowned slightly as he realized she grew warm in what looked to be embarrassment or awkward worry, her eyes never looking to him. "What happened?" he asked, quietly, trying to keep his impatience out of his tone so as not to further startle her. "Are you well?" he pressed, wondering if the magic, already, was too much for her.

Luna: She was much too aware of him momentarily, of the fact that he was sitting closer to her than he did before the latest events, of his mere presence. She shook her head hastily, shutting her eyes tightly for several moments, heaving several sighs in order to bring back the composure she had beforehand. She could not let things like these inhibit her learning... How easily it sneaked past...  
She attempted to act as if he was not even in the room as she attempted again, grasping at any and all strands she could, gathering them into something as substantial as she could muster. It did not take her as long, she was happy to notice, and soon enough, she was back on the track from which she was so hastily pushed off. She was grateful that the magic required so much attention, at least in these beginning phases, that she did not have to spare any attention for anything else. She strained, bringing it over to the piece of paper, her hands instinctively following, as if she could catch it, if it threatened to drop - though she knew it was a long stretch. Different sort of emotions began permeating as she ever so slowly managed to ensure that what magic she had covered the paper from all sides; as such, it should be more difficult for her to actually drop it, or that is what she thought. She merely did what she thought she was supposed to, filling in the holes which Loki left with her own assumptions. A grin broke out on her face again, despite the small bits of fatigue nipping at her as the paper in front of her twitched - once, twice, three times - before it rose up slowly.

Loki: He watched with patience as she continued to go through with her practice, finding her taking grip of the situation almost instantly. The paper, he noticed, began to move slightly, sliding from side to side until it finally began to rise from the bed. She took on so very quickly, he noted with slight reluctance. It was quite... incredible in its own right. He could hardly believe that a mere mortal would take not but twenty minutes at most to grip onto the concept of levitation. His mouth went unconsciously agape as he watched, and when he finally noticed such an expression, he shut it, blinking a few times. He frowned and then shook his head, knowing that he should be glad for her catching on so quickly, considering it would please her even more if he left and she had suitable knowledge of magic so she could continue her own training on her lonesome. He nodded reluctantly. "Yes, that is right," he murmured quietly, looking from the sheet of paper to her. "You learn quickly," he added with a raised brow.

Luna: She balanced it in the air for several seconds before placing it down sooner than she would have liked; however, she thought that it might be better that way if she lowered it, herself, instead of overexerting everything and losing her grip. She had to practice moderation, in case something went wrong... She then looked at him, hardly restraining the happiness from showing. "I do?" she asked with a dose of disbelief coloring her voice, but the answer did not have to be said - it was written on his features. Such genuine praise, from one such as him, from one who knew magic better than anyone else... She swelled with pride and the ever growing happiness. She couldn't help but let a joyful chuckle escape her. "Oh, I can't believe I did that just now. I can.. Loki, I.." she could hardly speak from the incredulity of everything, which grew into mild shock as she tried to come with the terms of what she did. It felt almost natural to her, yet the fact that she did it nevertheless, that she succeeded - and not only that, but received compliments from him - was almost overwhelming. It was one thing to grasp magic – another thing entirely to in fact _do_ something with it.

Loki: The look of disbelief that passed over her features, as if that was the best compliment that she had ever received, made him laugh without holding back, knowing that this was quite possibly the most exciting moment in her very short life. He gave another low chuckle at that thought and shook his head, trying to repress his amusement. "Yes, indeed," he replied with yet another short laugh. "You are quite successful in lifting a piece of parchment. I am very proud," he said, feigning utter seriousness in the end of his remark.

Luna: A frown mingled with her smile. "Are you _trying_ to make me feel ridiculous?" she asked as she shook her head. The tone of his voice sounded more like mockery than anything else. He made it sound as if she was an idiot, doing something more than easy and being proud without a reason. She turned to face him a bit more directly, taking the piece of paper which she lifted and crumpling it into a ball, needing the magic to return to her once more - which it did, fueled by her determination and by her pure need to have it again. Then, she concentrated once more upon it, willing patience and focus. It took her several minutes - though she could not compare the length between this time and the previous one - but she had it heed her intentions. It rose in the air, though not very high; then, mustering all the strength she could possibly scrape together within herself, she gave the crumpled ball of paper a push, chucking it at him.

Loki: He dodged the crumpled piece of paper that he hardly noticed until the paper ball was inches from his face, as he was stuck in his own sort of amusement from the look of pure determination ridden upon her face, like a child willing to fight an adult. He then summoned the paper ball to his hands. He surveyed it for a moment before flattening it out upon his knee, taking out all of the creases until it was easier to fold. He began to fold it vigorously, turning away from her so that she could not see. When he turned back, the paper had completely disappeared from his hands, but rather fluttering in the shape of a bird about the air with a flick of his hand. He let it go about her head until it settled upon her shoulder. He looked to the bird and then to her earnestly. "I did not mean to insult you," he replied with a faint smile, "I simply did not believe that you would learn so easily, if at all..."

Luna: Her eyes followed the paper bird as it drifted about, the smile returning to her face. She did so enjoy seeing magic, even that which she, herself, could not yet wield; it was fascinating nevertheless, seeing all the shapes it could take and all the ways in which it could work... She sighed, looking over at his appealing face, listening to his just as appealing voice. There was no audible apology, but she never expected one from him. “And I simply didn't expect that you'd be snarky about it, though now that I think about it, I guess I should have. I know that it might be normal and banal to you, but do understand that it's so much more than that to me," her voice lowered as she spoke. Her hand rose to her shoulder to take the bird gently, cradling it in her hands.

Loki: He smirked, allowing the paper bird to continue flapping its wings in her hand, looking as alive as a real one might, just to please her as he pleased so many others with his trivial tricks. "No, you should feel very good. Do not allow me to offend you," he replied with a short shake of his head as he looked down to her much smaller hands and his own little creation. "I suppose I never realized how much motivation might affect you," he added, his own voice lowering as he looked back into her eyes.

Luna: He would have to do plenty more in order to completely snuff out her exhilaration and her happiness over something so very important to her. "The only reason it does is because I don't believe there is anyone else better or more knowledgeable in regards to magic as my teacher, therefore his words do have an effect..." she murmured sheepishly, disliking that she even let something like that get a reaction out of her. Perhaps she was giving it more meaning than it deserved; after all, she received sufficient praise, she should not so much as turn her head at anything else. Surely, she would take criticism, as it was necessary, but mockery she would not stand for. Her fingertips glided along the bird's wings so very lightly, so as to not hinder its delicate, shuffling movements.

Loki: "Teacher, hmm?" he asked with a tilt of his head to the side, a smirk still playing at the corners of his lips. "I quite like that. Another name to add onto the list, yes?" He chuckled. He looked down at the paper bird, adding touches of its lifelike quality every so often by allowing it to make small chirping noises as it ruffled its "feathers", making her hands into a "nest" as it nestled further into her warmth, knowing he was doing more than necessary to please and amuse her, but his creativity grew with each small thought that passed like painting a picture. "Very well, Luna, I shall be your 'teacher' as long as you are my protégé. I shan't make mockery of your work any longer if you are so angered by it." Though it did amuse him…

Luna: The little birdie kept her eyes fastened to it as he had it behave so endearingly. Her smile was gentle, as what he did was nearly enough to make her forget that the bird was not, in fact, alive. "Thank you," she nodded, though she did not look at him yet.

Loki: He flicked his wrist and the bird flew out of her hands and perched itself on his finger as he stroked it while it chirped. He looked to her with an arched brow before it flew off once more, but this time, it burst into a small flame. "Try again?" he asked, signalling for her to attempt to move the whole pad.

Luna: She watched as he burned his paper creation, a small smirk on her lips, as it reminded her of a phoenix. "You should teach me how to conjure fire soon, I think." She chuckled shortly before turning her attention back to the slightly heavier thing. She drew in a determined breath, giving a small nod as she gazed at it intently. Her concentration was slightly spoiled by her attempts at justifying her own previous success. In her mind, she knew exactly what she had to do, and she wanted to do it more badly than she wished for anything else... In her mind, it did not need to be excruciatingly difficult, not while she knew what she was doing, not while she tried to the best of her abilities. In her mind, it had no reason to be difficult. Why should the magic resist her and her attempts at wielding it to her heart's desire, when she truly did desire it so profoundly? Why shouldn't it cooperate and mingle with her being? Whatever the case was, she would succeed, and it was merely a matter of time. She felt the straining on her body, but she chose to disregard it, as she had matters more important to tend to. She set the magic about the pad, attempting to lift it. It shuddered, but it did no more. She pressed her lips tightly together, wondering what she was doing wrong... After several minutes of trying relentlessly, she decided to change her tactic. Following nothing but what seemed logical to her, instead of focusing on spreading the magic evenly across the pad and enveloping it entirely, she instead moved it all beneath it, creating a mass a little denser in one place; perhaps it was the act of stretching it which wore on it... Sensibly, something like that shouldn't affect it, as it was energy and its form should not matter... But perhaps, while she was still a beginner, while she still could not affect its power, so she would have to make do with what she knew and what she had.

She swallowed lightly, trying again and again and yet again... She tried not to let the frustration of consistent failure affect her. After all, the fact was that it was bound to work eventually, as long as she pinpointed just the right way of making it happen. She was unsure how to make the energy more potent, or even if it was something possible to do - maybe this was the strongest bit of magic she would ever be able to conjure... No, she did not like that thought one bit. With an increasing frown, she strained more - or was it the magic simply taking more out of her than she realized? - and after what seemed like ages to her, she finally hoisted it up. A wonder it was, such a small thing and yet it felt as heavy as a mountain... And now to maintain it levitating... She nearly quivered with the effort.

Loki: He found it strange it was taking her much longer, as it was not too terribly heavy. For a few moments, he considered simply telling her what she might be doing wrong, but from what he could see there were no holes in her attempts. She should have very well lifted it easily. Perhaps it was his words that affected her attempts, but he could hardly believe that she would be so easily discouraged from his petty jabs. She finally lifted it, letting it float about as he looked back at her more flustered expression as she looked like it took much more effort than before, only adding onto his belief that she would fast harm herself than ever becoming a powerful sorceress. "Very good," he replied blankly, trying not to make his tone go either way so as to not discourage her and make her drop it. "Do not strain yourself, now..."

Luna: She merely nodded to let him know she heard him, but she kept the object up, moving it left and right slowly.

Loki: He watched her warily, wondering at what point might she be too weak to keep it up. He pressed his lips together as he sat back, folding his arms across his chest as he awaited her fatigue, knowing that she would do well to heed his warning.

Luna: Some time later - time held little meaning for her, as her focus was on the magic and magic alone - she had her legs crossed beneath her and her hands gripping her knees tightly as she willed herself to remain straight, and to hold the pad afloat for as long as she could. It was strenuous on her - more physically than mentally, she noticed - but she kept it going for some time. The fatigue and the soreness, themselves, addled her mind and made it more difficult to focus, yet she persisted. Then, with a sigh, she let go of one of her knees and took the pad from the air, dispelling the magic she's summoned a while ago. It was as if the magic was what held her up straight somehow – the moment she let it go, it felt as if she lost what she was relying on, and she doubled over.

Loki: Loki watched as Luna took the pad, after managing to continue keeping it in the air for quite some time; whether she was trying to prove a point or simply believe it was making her strong, he couldn't tell. "Rest," he suggested; her eyes were heavily lidded and it looked as though every movement of hers was a strain. "You should not strain yourself so," he muttered as he uncrossed his arms, looking into her fatigued eyes.

Luna: She met his gaze, and after several seconds straightened up again, only to lean back against the pillows wearily. "I'll be fine," she said, "Practice is necessary. Besides," she shrugged slightly, a smile placing itself upon her lips once more "I didn't want to let it go... The fact that I was doing that... Well, I wanted to watch."

Loki: He restrained himself from making a comment that could very well destroy her fascination. He only sighed and gave a small nod. "Of course, yes," he replied quietly. "I simply do not wish for you to injure yourself, therefore preventing yourself from continuing to learn. Do not forget that magic is like a muscle..."

Luna: A mixture of a scoff and a brief chuckle escaped her, and she rubbed her arms slightly. "I don't think I can forget. The magic won't let me," she said, stretching her legs out in front of herself, settling back further into the comfort of the bed. "Don't worry... If, at any point, you think it is quite enough - you'll stop me." she said confidently. Besides, there was a threshold even she could not pass just yet, and she knew it when she came close to it.

Loki: He gave a small noise in agreement before settling himself further onto the bed leaning back so he was looking to the ceiling. "You have trust that I shall?" he asked quietly, wondering just when she decided such a thing, knowing somehow his gentleness with her might have sparked such a thought or theory.

Luna: "I do, yes," she looked over at him, "and even if you do not do that, there will be little harm done, as I'll stop myself in the end," she said with a smile. She'd not let anything - including herself - interfere with her effective learning.

Loki: "I see..." he murmured with a short nod. "Very well... if that suits you," he replied passively. He looked back to her curiously. "So what shall we do for now?" He asked, arching a brow at her.

Luna: She hummed, musing... "What you taught me of levitation, is the same principle used for heavier objects? As in, only the amount and the strength of the magic changes, not the tactic?" she asked, turning on her side to face him.

Loki: He nodded. "Yes, it is. You are quite right. The same could be said for any basic principle I teach you, which might as well work in your favor after I am gone," he explained with a nod, turning to her with a small smile. "Some principles, you must understand, are utterly impossible to teach, however, in the short time we have. They take years... hundreds of years, even, to master."

Luna: She gave him an understanding nod. "Well, then, I'll make do with what I can and hope it'll be enough," she said, though she knew that at one point or another, she would inevitably wonder what more she could have done, had she only had the time. But even this would be enough for her, as she never thought something like this might even happen, and she would appreciate that which she managed to obtain. At the very least, she would know that she tried. "As for levitation, if that is all there is to it, and the rest is practice, then I'd say we were done with that particular lesson. What else do you have for me?" she asked with a ready smile.

Loki: He considered her question, knowing that during this escape, his lessons were hardly being thought through. He had to continue to make it up as he went along, he supposed, never entirely planning it out until she figured it out herself. "Defense, I suppose... Other small tricks similar to levitation... Perhaps healing, but I am not entirely sure of how thoroughly you are aware of your anatomy," he explained quietly.

Luna: She listened, any idea seeming more than appealing to her, yet once she heard... "Healing? Yes. Healing." she nodded, sitting up slowly, keeping her fervent gaze on him. Healing would be... She grinned happily. Hours of watching Zane learn, hours of listening to him and helping him revise and learn... Granted, she did not know as much as he did, but a large portion of information she retained in her head, though not to the most minuscule of details. To be able to heal with magic...

Loki: He smirked at her, knowing that, of course, she would pick the most difficult to accomplish. "My dear," he murmured quietly, "That is difficult. I am unsure we should even consider such a thing before you know you are entirely capable of handling the energy. You must learn by applying it to a wound, after all... if it goes wrong your body can react violently... It takes years of study…" he explained quietly, eyeing her smile.

Luna: Her smile dwindled until it vanished. Why would he offer it to her, or even mention it, if he did not think she was capable of it? It was almost cruel of him to do something like that... This, she put into words, leaning back down dejectedly. Such a raise of hopes, for apparently nothing. What she thought she could accomplish and what she truly could accomplish could have been two very different things. Oh, but how she wanted to try...

Loki: He saw the disappointed look in her eyes immediately after he had said such things to her. His smirk diminished as he pressed his lips into a straight line. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair once again, wondering why he had such an urge to comfort her, to tell her there was nothing wrong, but he most definitely had it. "Luna..." he muttered shaking his head, "I suppose we can try... if you so wish it..."

Luna: She kept her eyes on his as she spoke. "Do tell me - can you say for absolute certain that I am going to fail?" she asked.

Loki: "Not _absolute_ certain, no," he replied, meeting her dark eyes, "but one can conjecture the very potential of a human as they are, physically, weaker... Think of it as this: beings such as myself, or Thor, or any other powerful Asgardian, have a certain level of energy that can be used. We tire less easily, we are not injured so frequently, and we have a high tolerance to disease or famine. Humans, however, are the exact opposite. There is a limit of energy their bodies can use, and once that limit is used up, I believe, they might very well gravely injure themselves as they so easily injure themselves physically..." he explained quietly. "I have every justified reason to doubt, but there is still hope... Do not misunderstand me."

Luna: "I understand..." she said quietly, having half a mind to press on with her wishes, but she knew that he was right to an extent. At least, as far as humans were concerned. Yet he couldn't know, and she couldn't know... But she would try; just not momentarily. There was quite a debate in her mind, whether she should pursue this or not. "Alright, not right now. But soon. I'll rest a bit now, and when that is done with, we can try. At least try," she said with a sigh. "I do not expect of myself to succeed - at all, let alone at the first try - but I.. I want to try. Just to make sure. You understand, don't you?" she spoke with a voice very quiet, as she knew where their similarities lie.

Loki: He nodded. "Of course I do," he replied, waving it off, "As I have said before – you and I are alike in that aspect. Relentless, pressing for any and all knowledge… and not ceasing until you are satisfied. Am I wrong?" he asked with a smirk in her direction. "I like to believe I am also a talented observer, do not think I do not notice your desperation for such power..."

Luna: "You're not wrong, no." she said, though she did not like the way the word _power_ made it seem as if she would use such a thing against someone, as if she were grasping at anything to make her feel better about herself; she only wished to watch the magic, to indulge herself in such a way, to wield it, to simply be satisfied in such a peculiar way which she yearned for for a very long time. She did not need to show it to anyone, no. She only needed to have it with herself, and that would be enough.

Loki: "I thought so," he replied quietly as he took a strand of hair out of her face and placed it behind her ear. "What else might you wish to discuss, my lady?" he asked curiously, knowing she would like to speak of magic for hours, but in the depths of his stomach, it began to slightly enrage him, considering he could not do all that he wished to just yet. He considered that very feeling for a moment, knowing that there was, yet again, a similarity between the both of them, as they both were limited. But for him to have known what it feels like to be wielding the ultimate power... to be indestructible once, and for that to all be stripped away from him... she could not possibly relate.


	33. Chapter 33

Luna: She furrowed her brows and kept her silence as she contemplated. "What does Alfheim look like?" she suddenly asked one of the questions that was always somewhere in her mind, and she deemed it the safest to ask.

Loki: For once, a question that did not involve him directly or personally... something that would interest her most of all, as she most likely would never be blessed with such a sight other than her own world. "It is similar to your realm, I suppose, before you managed to destroy it... it is very mountainous, heavily forested, and the palace is quite gorgeous indeed. Very intricate and delicately made as they are quite skillful with steady hands and very artistic minds, shining like millions of diamonds. Quite possibly the loveliest people you should ever meet, the elves... Loveliest women, that is..." he smirked to himself, rubbing his neck slightly as he reminisced the one time he shared a bed with an elven woman...

Luna: She leaned against the headboard, stuffing a pillow behind her back to make herself more comfortable, her hands folding atop her stomach as she listened. The briefest, smallest of frowns twitched at her brow before it was gone as quickly as it came. "Some of our books say that the elves had helped with some of Asgard's build." she said, a questioning undertone to her voice.

Loki: "Ah yes, that is true. They did help as a gift in exchange for the absolute peace between the two realms. Most of what you see upon Asgard, rather, has been gifted from different realms within Yggdrasil as a symbol of peace or everlasting alliance in one way or another. Some realms have more than others, or not at all..." he explained quietly.

Luna: She breathed out a small chuckle. "Most of what I see upon Asgard, hmm? That would be nothing, I'm afraid." She still had visions in her mind's eye from his descriptions, but she knew it would never amount to what it most likely was. An entire realm, not at all on her planet, stranger than she could have ever imagined. What she wouldn't give to see...

Loki: He smirked with a chuckle from his own lips and nodded. "Ah, yes, and hopefully nothing I shall see again... at least, not until all of this has passed. Asgard is lovely, do not misunderstand me, but other realms can be just as lovely, if not more..." Especially not now, when he cringed at the very thought of having to return to the prison that he used to call home.

Luna: She nodded, looking at him wistfully. "Sometimes I wish I could just… go with you," she said very silently, looking away from him as she realized just which words she's released. That couldn't have been right, she mused, a frown pulling her eyebrows together. She had quite a comfortable life here, with her brother and her line of work... There was not very much she could have complained about. And yet, this rather innate desire in her to know more than what was on her realm... Which was strange, she thought, as she'd not seen enough of her own realm to think in any such way, and somehow, she wanted even more than that.

Loki: He blinked with surprise, looking at her with an odd look in his eyes. He most certainly did not expect such a comment. His mouth opened to say something in reply almost immediately, but then he shut it as he felt most definitely like an idiot. He then he eased back onto the bed, knowing if he said anything, he would look like a fool. He was alone once he left here, he knew. He would have to shift into another form, go by another name, be another person entirely... at least for a little while. He could not go back elsewhere with others knowing what he had done, knowing it would always follow him.

In the back of his mind, he knew he did not want to be alone. He had never been alone in his life, as he was always surrounded by those who had at least some sort of respect for him whether it was feigned or true. He had servants, and those he called his family, and those whom he loved at night... He once had sons and a wife, and he once never left Thor's side. He tried to push such thoughts out of his mind as he looked back to her. "You would not wish for that," he replied after an incredibly long moment of silence.

Luna: She was just as surprised by her statement as he was. She sat there in silence, trying to reason out in her mind the motivation which pushed her words forward with her only aware of their existence somewhere in her subconscious. It should be true, she thought, as why would she say it otherwise? Truly, her existence where she was _should_ have been sufficient, and now to find out that there was a possibility of it not being so? She lowered her head, gazing down at her lap as she reclined, hardly moving, unblinking, utterly confused.

Was he correct? Why _would_ she wish for that? The most obvious, largest of answers was the fact that she wanted to see that which she could hardly imagine, expose herself to novelties, things that were nonexistent or even impossible on her world... There were innumerable beautiful things on Earth, yet... She pressed her lips tightly together. Her eyes drifted over to him slowly as she dug deeper into herself, trying to find what she was searching for. What she did find was another reason which should have been obvious to her at first - she didn't want him to cease teaching her. "I…" she began, but then closed her mouth and shook her head.

Loki: He looked at her with a brief amount of confusion at her broken response. "You...?" he said quietly, his voice low and confused. "What is it you wish to say?" he pressed, curiously looking over her as she looked almost in distress as she tried to figure out her feelings.

Luna: She shook her head and then rubbed her face wearily. "I don't know," she mumbled into her hands in embarrassment before she lowered them. "I want… more. Of magic, of… of the worlds," she said, lingering after every other word as she tried to understand it - if she did not do that, then she could hardly make him understand.

Loki: He blinked several times at her, wondering why she, personally, would want to spend any more time with him than necessary. "You understand by... by desiring such a thing you'd stay with me, yes? You wish that upon yourself...?" That, ultimately, was what confused him. Yes, of course, they had relations the night prior, but that hardly meant that she could change her mind about what he was.

Luna: "As long as we are on good terms, I..." she lingered off, glancing interchangeably from him to the her hands, "I don't see why not..." He was who he was, yet as long as he presented no danger to her, directly or indirectly, as long as there was understanding on both parts, she saw very few reasons why she could not bear with him for a while longer. Especially if it granted her more time to extract everything she wanted out of him. Of course, there was a very high probability that it would be him tiring of her, rather than the other way around.

Loki: He raised his brows in deep surprise, knowing that rarely was there another being who would willingly spend any extended amount of time with him. "I..." he began dumbly, confusion obviously in his features as he ran a hand through his hair. "I..." He shook his head, his brow furrowing. "Luna, I know you wish for knowledge but... the realms are dangerous for one such as you. If other beings were to somehow figure out who I am, they would not take very kindly, and you would suffer as well... Not to say I do not wish for your company."

Luna: She gave an understanding nod. "I know, I know," she murmured. "It's just a thought, no more... After all, it's not possible, so I don't think we should discuss it as if it were." She shrugged. There were many things of which they should not speak, as it would bring up massive tension. This was one of those subjects, she assumed, though this was not one up for discussion. She could not leave Earth for many reasons - including the ones he mentioned, yet those were only under the assumption that she _could_ physically come with him.

And yet, his words... He would not bring her with him as it would endanger her? Since when did he seem to care for such matters? "But thank you.. For your words. I am sorry I caused such a mess just now."

Loki: He nodded hesitantly, wondering when he ever crossed the line between when he didn't care for her well-being and when he did. Only after he had said such words did he finally figure out that he had said such a thing aloud. "You... are welcome," he replied, though it came out much more like a question rather than a statement.

Luna: She shrunk a little bit, guilt overcoming her for what she's caused with such careless thoughts and words... She fidgeted with her fingers, falling silent, trying to think of something, anything, that would help the situation and pull it back from the discomfort in which it was drifting. Her words stirred thoughts in both of them, and whether they were safe or not, she couldn't tell. "What I said, I..." she began explaining slowly, "It was just wishful thinking, I guess, curiosity."

Loki: "No, it is nothing, my lady," he replied quietly, his voice very thin. "I merely was surprised you would even consider spending more time than you already have to with someone like myself," he added with a small shrug. "I do realize I would be... very much so on my own after I leave here. Which can be positive and negative... But it is rightfully so."

Luna: "Better that than dead," she said, looking over to him. "As for spending more time with you... As I said - as long as we are on good terms, I don't see why it should be a problem." She gave the smallest, confused smile. He could be tolerable, at the very least. But if they knew they would spend more time together than was necessary for his escape, they would have to set some things straight, as they could hardly even speak of some things without rousing upsetness. Some things would have to be altered in such a case, she knew. However, as there would be no such case, there would be no need for anything it brought alongside itself.

Loki: He nodded in slight agreement, though he would never understand such a thing. Why her sudden tolerance? "Indeed," he replied quietly, his eyes drifting off into another direction along the room. He brushed a hand through his hair once more, trying to relieve himself of the confusion that had filled him before, as well as the amount of shock he had from such a question of hers. He, in no way, saw that coming.

Luna: She kept looking at him, seeing utmost perturbation by the entire situation. The ends of her eyebrows drew lower as she seemed to completely throw him off with what she said. She scooted closer to him and placed her fingertips to his arm, gently leading it away from his hair, lest it fell out from all the times he combed through it. She was careful in her motions - even though he said that her warmth could be enjoyable, she still didn't want to set him into an even greater stress - and so, she kept her touch light, leaving him with plenty of room to recoil if he so wished. It was worth a try.

Loki: He looked at the warm fingers she placed on his arm, pulling at it in the softest way possible that he would not have even felt such a thing had he not seen her. His arm slowly fell to his side, his eyes never leaving the grip she seemed to have with him. It was as if, in the way she was pulling at his arm, if she pulled on it too quickly, it might fall off. The dark pools of her eyes were wide and steady... careful. His own eyes slowly met hers as his own hand placed itself on top of hers, gently moving it off of his arm. His hand did not move from hers, however, and the corners of his lips twisted into a small, thin-lipped smile. "You are so very gentle, as if one wrong move and I shall fall apart..." he muttered quietly, though it was more of a jab. With a shake of his head, he slowly twined his fingers through her own, giving a light squeeze and then pulling away. "Like my mother... one of the few people who ever was so gentle, if not the only."

Luna: She smiled softly, so very glad that she managed to draw his attention away from what was bothering him, though she hoped that she wouldn't pull it over to another one, similar in its pestering. She gave him a grateful nod, however, as at least she succeeded at _something_. "It can be so very needed sometimes," she said, looking down at their hands and his own gentleness, to which it seemed to be so very easy to get used to. He pulled away, then, and she did not follow, though for a moment, she felt such an impulse to seize his hand and prevent it from drawing back.

Loki: He gave a gentler smile at her as his hand rested on his lap. "I do suppose so," he replied reluctantly, glancing at her and then back to the ceiling, his other hand choosing to trace circles around the fabric of the bed mindlessly. "I believe I should... thank you," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers shortly and away again, "for last night... _That_ can be so very needed sometimes," he added, mimicking her words.

Luna: She gave a laugh at his words, covering her face with her hands briefly. "Oh, goodness," she said through a chuckle and a grin on her lips. She then glanced at him almost abashedly, beginning to fidget with her fingers. "I can't say you're not right. Thank you, too," her next chuckle was a tad more embarrassed, "I enjoyed myself..."

Loki: He smiled unashamedly at her smile, the way her face flushed in what looked to be embarrassment. He chuckled as well, shaking his head, finding it dreadfully... adorable that she would be so embarrassed. It was rare for him to sleep with a woman who would react in such a way, and that, in itself, made him smile all the more. "I did, too," he replied quietly.

Luna: This time, her glance at him was slightly longer. "I'm glad to hear that," she said just as quietly, quite sincerely. However, now that it was over with, they could resume their usual way of life. She hoped that they could, that last night's happenings did not alter things between them drastically - she hoped that they did for the better, but it was a thought far fetched that she soon discarded. Besides, why should it interfere with anything… They were merely there for each other when such necessities arose. But that raised a question of whether or not such a thing would happen again... She could not know. What she did know was that it would not bother her if it did. Such a thought made her avert her eyes to her lap, a smile still lingering on her lips.

Loki: He saw the blush continuing to linger about her cheeks, holding her gaze as she looked at him, her dark eyes saying more than she ever would. He wondered what he meant by such things anyway. He could never tell. He only knew that, one day, he should like to once more. Perhaps not soon, or perhaps not ever... perhaps before he left, or perhaps she would not allow for that? He could never be sure. "As am I," he replied slowly.

Luna: She glanced at the window and the bright light of very early afternoon, grateful that they had a while more to rest. It was pleasant, this, merely laying in bed with him, talking of this and that, and not doing all that much in general. After remaining silent for several seconds, an idea appeared in her mind, quickly followed by a smirk on her lips. Nothing much about her changed, she seemed to still be thinking, yet she focused. She focused deeply, following the familiar pattern she had to weave in order to make a road from herself to magic, which would allow her to access it. Soon enough, she did, picking out of the air small tendrils which she then directed towards him, using the latest trick he taught her for her own amusement. Immobile, though smiling, she wound the tendril around a strand of his long, black hair and tugged at it gently.

Loki: He wasn't taking much notice of her for the several long seconds of silence... at least, not until he felt a light tug about his hair. He frowned slightly, turning his head to her, expecting to see her very close, tugging at his hair simply to get his attention, but alas, she was sitting on the other side, still, smiling to herself as her fingers moved as though she were using magic. He smirked at her, patting down his hair. "Are you wanting something, my lady?" he asked with a light chuckle, all the while summoning his own magic, only gathering a wisp or two of it, knowing he should not wear himself out. He gathered it into a small but thick fan-like creation, and then released it to her, causing a gust of wind blow at her.

Luna: She laughed delightedly when he responded with magic of his own. Though she could hardly imitate that which he did, she instead had the tendrils wrap around more of his hair, moving it forwards and causing it to gather and pile over his face. It wore on her, but fortunately, not enough for discomfort. "Perhaps, my lord," she stressed the title, amusement almost childish etching itself on her face. Oh, but she enjoyed this lightness immensely. She doubted it would ever cease to be fascinating to her, the fact that neither of them moved very much - save for the occasional, barely noticeable movements of their hands - and they did so much.

Loki: He smirked as his hair brushed upwards, covering the entirety of his face. He brushed it back, and then did not skip a beat for when he did the same thing to her hair, causing all of it to blow into her face with a flick of his hand. He laughed at the very appearance, continuing to brush back his own hair, fixing it so it did not hang idly about his head as it did too often. "Silly..." he scoffed.

Luna: "You are, yes," she retorted almost instantly, chuckling as she hastily tried to brush her own hair back in the midst of his unseen assault. She could hardly believe that she was having such pleasant moments - including the ones from the night prior - with him of all people... That did not, however, mean that she disliked it. Quite the opposite.

Loki: "Oh, _I_ am silly?" he asked, rolling his eyes before flicking his hand once more, causing the bits of hair that she managed to brush back in the short amount of time she had, to come back to cover her eyes. He laughed again at the sight, crossing his arms across his chest. "I beg to differ."

Luna: She batted her hands at the strands of hair that kept flying into her face with a small grumble. She then sat up and turned to face him, grabbing hold of as much of his hair as she could with the energy she still had, though instead of mimicking his own ways, she used it to slowly pull at it towards her, continuing to do so until he needed to move his head, as well. "Oh?" was all she said, smirking.

Loki: He felt his hair being pulled to her, his eyes narrowing as he swatted at the magic being used to do such a task, though it was blindly. He did not very much like his hair being pulled, having an urge for his head to be pulled with it... as most would not, but it was almost too reminiscent of... He shook his head both to ease it out of the grasp of her magic and to attempt to forget about the thought that threatened to take his mind, dispersing it with his own wave of magic. He looked around the room, looking for another tool to bother her as she wished to bother him, finding a small cup of water by the sink. He smirked, summoning it to him in a long, thin tendril that would go unnoticed to her... at least, until he managed to circle it about her head, letting it drop upon her. He laughed at his own little trick, his eyes gleaming with a lighter bit of mischief.

Luna: She blinked, her lips parting in surprise and a sharp exhale escaping her as she suddenly felt water splash down upon her. The next breath that escaped her mingled with an incredulous laugh. "Oh, you, _you_..." she shook her head, wiping at the water with her hands. There was not very much water, but it was a mild shock nevertheless. "You will pay," she joked with another laugh, wiping her wet hands on the bare parts of his arms, sitting up on her knees and leaning over him.

Loki: He looked up to her as she rose to her knees, looking, for once, taller than he. She managed to wipe the water he dumped on her onto his arms and he merely watched her with a snicker as that hardly affected him. "Oh?" he guffawed, shaking his head, "Will I now? You, Luna of Midgard, tiny little mortal, shall make I, the God of Mischief, Loki of Asgard, _pay_? Is that even wise?" he laughed.

Luna: There was very little she could have done to him, she knew even as she inched closer to him - at least not without angering him. He did have a point, but she was having enough fun to easily neglect the fact. "Probably not," she grinned down at him, "But you will, eventually," she then leaned across him, taking the partly full bottle of water laying forgotten on the night stand next to the bed, swiftly unscrewing the cap and simply turning it over above him, letting the contents pour out. There was much more in the bottle than was in what he spilled over her.

Loki: He looked up as she managed to begin to pour water over him, but he would not let that happen. Not upon his tunic, at least. He raised his finger within a blink of an eye, while the water was inches above his head. The moment the stream of water came in contact with his finger, it froze in its place. He smirked and laughed at her petty attempts until he noticed the tip of his finger turning into a deep shade of blue. His smirk disappeared and he immediately withdrew his hand, clenching his fist, focusing on making his skin turn back into its regular color. He looked up to the now-frozen water that leered above him and then to her. "Silly girl," he scoffed.

Luna: For a moment she thought she saw something peculiar, though it was gone before she could have made sure, and she discarded it - she did not think it was her imagination, for many things now that she thought were only there in fact were very real - but she did not give it much thought. She instead looked up at the trail of frozen water, and promptly reached out to glide her fingers down it, though she was quite disgruntled. "You give me no chance at all," she said. She knew it wouldn't be fair - not while playing with him, but he could have humored her. She stroked the ice for several more moments until it drained the warmth from her fingertips, which she then placed to her neck and her face, enjoying the sensation.

Loki: He watched, bemused by the fact she enjoyed such harsh coldness. "My apologies," he replied with a small smile, and then opened his arms slightly, raising his hands to her with a look of almost childish innocence. "Do what you wish. I shall allow you one victory," he added, curious of what she would do.

Luna: She noticed that the irregular mass of ice was slowly, steadily dripping upon the bed. "Before I do, you might want to regulate that," she pointed at it, though she was still smiling at his sudden forfeit. "I'd do it myself, but… It's your fault," she chuckled.

Loki: He looked at the ice and then to where she was holding the bottle, knowing he could not take the chance for his fingers to touch it once more, in fear that the blue would reappear. He rose and took the bottle from her, taking the pointy-shaped icicle and having it upwards like a sword. He poked her bare arm with it, childish amusement in his eyes with his new-found toy before walking to the bathroom and disposing of it into the sink. He walked back, eying her curiously. "Have at me," he murmured, his thin lips twisting into a half-grin.

Luna: She laughed and shook her head at his childlike behavior, finding it endlessly amusing. She rubbed her arm where he poked it, quickly regaining the warmth it took for a brief second; her neck and all the places her then-cold fingertips touched were already warm again. It would take a contact much prolonged for her to remain cold. She looked him up and down, unsure of just how she would 'have at him', as her options were quite few. She rose from the bed then, brushing off those strands of hair which managed to get wet, and strode up to him. With smiling determination on her face, she propped herself up and wrapped her arms about him in an embrace.

Loki: He allowed her, as he had said, to have her victory, but why was it he didn't think that it would be such physical affection? He stiffened, reflexively, of course, but eventually relaxed, taking in her warmth once more. "Of all things you may have done..." he murmured, shaking his head, allowing a short chuckle come out at the complete innocence of it all. If he had allowed such vulnerability to any other being they would have taken advantage of him, to injure him or further humiliate him simply because they _could_. And yet, here was this mortal, to whom he had managed to strip away any shred of normalcy, threaten her, and force her into a circumstance that was less than favorable all for the selfish reason of sparing his own life, not thinking twice of hers... He offered her to take a jab at him for once, any sort of jab, and though it would not hurt him, it would still be an action against him... At least, that was what he assumed she would do. So then, here she was... embracing him as though nothing had happened, as though he never harmed her, even though he managed to bed her the night prior due to his own desires. He blinked several times as he considered this, and ever so hesitantly began to wind his own arms around her in reaction, as what else could he do?

Luna: This had been the only thing that came to her mind, as she saw nothing else she could do to him that would affect him in any which way. And yet this somehow managed to fall into both categories - the one of things which affected him negatively and the one of things which affected him positively. She dared not make a move against him; though she could not physically harm him, she did not want to risk of placing any sort of a grudge between them. Not now, not when things were going more smoothly than she ever even thought they might.  
"Is this not the safest one, though?" she murmured in return, a smile invisible to him appearing when she felt him return the hug, however reluctantly. She did not pull away just yet, as she knew that he would initiate that when he saw it fit; as far as she was concerned, she was quite capable of remaining this way for a while more. She gave him a slow, short squeeze. This was such a pleasant change, she thought, more than glad he was progressing, however slightly. For the past few hours, he had hardly been his irritable self, and she found that the lack of any aggravation made good company of him.

Loki: He nodded slowly into her shoulder. "It is, yes..." he muttered, unsure of what else to make of this. He enjoyed it, this proximity, this comfort of her, no matter how much his head beat against the very thought of physical contact, the way his muscles twitched periodically, the way he tensed every so often, but nevertheless, he did not withdraw from her and her warmth. "You are too kind for your own good," he murmured into her hair.

Luna: She breathed out a low chuckle, moving her head in the slightest of motions to nudge against his. Her hand flitted up to the back of his head, cradling it just as gently, while her hold on him grew more secure now that she felt a little more certain that he would not flee from her. "Maybe," she said almost inaudibly. She did not care at this point. She soon found herself wishing that he did not change his mind about this, wishing to prolong this oddly comforting moment of closeness for a while more. She did not give it further questioning than deciding that it was a simple wish in her that would have applied to anyone.

Loki: He sighed, closing his eyes, trying to sort out what he was feeling and what was going on after all of this. He truly did not wish to question it, though his mind would not cease to continue turning, like cogs in a machine, producing thoughts without restraint. He furrowed his brow as he felt her comforting herself against him, placing her hand to the back of his head... similar to how Frigga often comforted him in his nightmares, in his time of distress, or any other passing greeting... He accepted it as naturally as any sort of other comfort from his mother.

But why? He wished to kill her several times. He manipulated her. Now that he has his magic back, he could rule her in any way that he wished. He could demand his control over her, and he could leave once enough power has been flexed.

No... No, that could not be right... She was gentle, and for a moment he believed she cared, and even though it could all very well be silly and idiotic in the end, all that mattered was _now_... She did not hurt him although she could have... Not physically, but... He cringed as this war continued, nearly driving him mad, but at that moment he had control over his body, and he kept her to him no matter what went through his head.

Luna: Seeking further haven, her head instinctively dipped lower to settle down in his neck, her arms, growing weary from holding them so high up to reach him properly, also lowered, locking around his waist, instead. She heaved a sigh, her fingers brushing along his lean back, as she tried to empty her mind again, or at least focus it elsewhere. But when she realized that focusing it, instead, on his arms that were still about her, only brought further questions in her head, she could not help but give in and try to resolve some of them. Even though this was supposed to be a peaceful moment, she thought bitterly.

Last night _did_ something. It showed her an aspect of him which she enjoyed more than she could even begin to describe... It made her fear him less, though she knew that might not have been the wisest thing - he still could have presented a danger to her, and easily, too. Yet how could she fear the man who now held her to him like so, accepted her affection? And where did the affection even come from? That was something easy for her to explain, as it was natural to her, but affection for _him_? However, in some strange way, he was and he wasn't him in this particular moment. He was the man who slaughtered many. But he was not, at the same time. Not to her. Maybe it would be easier to simply admit to being mad, she thought in wry amusement as she allowed her body to lean slightly against his, as if for support.

Loki: He sighed, unsure of why he clung to her so, for such an extended amount of time, but she made no effort to do away with his touch, and he made no effort to move away. If anything, she was enjoying this. Perhaps. Perhaps it was an experiment, to continue trying to get him to accept physical contact, to somehow undo any sort of previous aversion. Yes, that was it. She was helping him, but only because his aversion was a weakness.... a silly one at that. And he accepted it, though at the time it felt as though he was replacing one vulnerability with another.

He shook his head, trying to distract himself with her smell, as it was quite exquisite. A womanly, feminine smell that he found females always had. It was lovely. Like his garden in full bloom. He managed to press his nose to her neck in order to continue his sudden distraction, nuzzling it into her warmth for a brief moment so as to get the purest smell, and then resumed his position with his head leaning against her shoulder.

Luna: A delighted smile came across her features when she felt him nuzzle against her neck, as it was a telltale sign that he was at least somewhat comfortable. She, in turn, tilted her head ever so slightly to leave a soft, warm, yet tentative kiss to his cheek. She was not surprised by their actions; after sharing something so much more intimate the night before, such small - though no less enjoyable - gestures were only natural, in her mind. She saw very little reason as to why they should not do such things - it could hardly harm either of them, in the short run or in the long run. They were simply, gratefully taking that which the other offered.

Loki: He smiled slightly when he felt her lips at his cheek, taking his nudge amiably. He could not help but shudder at the very feeling, somewhat glad that she would be so willing to give him such affection. He hummed, loosening his arms about her as he pulled away slightly, but only because he assumed that they had embraced for long enough, not because he was uncomfortable. His smile diminished, not wishing to look like a fool in front of her, pleased because of a simple sign of mutual affection, so his mouth contorted into an awkward smirk.

Luna: Rather reluctantly, yet inevitably, she unwound her arms and let them drop to her sides, as usual. She looked up at him approvingly and with a smile on her face, satisfied that he was so very compliant - not only that, but he enjoyed it at least half as much as she did. With a content sigh and not a word more, she returned to the bed, stretching as she did so. She did not mind laying about all day - after a few bouts of magic, she felt as if she'd done plenty of exercise already. Speaking of... "Come on. Healing time." she beckoned him over to her.

Loki: He frowned slightly, looking at her narrowly as he sought for the least bit of fatigue in her. "Are you not tired? I am afraid it takes a much stronger form of magic, my dear... are you certain?" he asked quietly, not wishing for her to be injured by over-exerting herself. He looked over to the clock, seeing as it had only been a Midgardian hour that had passed since she last attempted to toy with magic.

Luna: "Well, we can try, and if it fails, I can rest again," she shrugged, making herself comfortable. She felt as if she were wasting time by resting, even though she knew that she would accomplish very little by being tired.


	34. Chapter 34

Loki: He sighed heavily, not having it in him to argue with her and deny her wishes. He pressed his lips together as he continued to eye her up and down. "Very well," he complied, shifting so that he was sitting directly across from her. He eyed her hand for a moment, believing it would be best to begin with simple wounds such as scrapes or cuts. He tried to think of the way that Eir had managed to teach _him_ when he was learning. It had been a rather recent lesson, considering he never cared much for healing until he was very much so injured... He studied for decades in order to perfect every aspect of it, but merely for the purpose of using it for himself, never others.

"Healing, more often than not, requires a certain amount of knowledge of anatomy. You must be aware of what you are comprised of, from the veins, arteries, muscles, glands, to the composition of your skin. It will take years to master each... decades to hundreds of years... which is why, in Asgard, we have such beings as Healers, who dedicate their lives to the healing of others..." He explained easily, looking for any sort of changing expression.

Luna: She took in his each and every word, knowing that if she failed, it wouldn't be because she did not listen to him closely enough or heed his instructions attentively enough. It would be her simple lack of skill and energy, no more. If such healing existed on Midgard, there would be so much less death, she knew... Regardless, it would be one of the most useful skills to possess. "I've spent a lot of time with Zane while he was learning for his line of work, a lot of it stuck with me, I think," she informed him, trying to bring back all of those facts which she kept stored somewhere in her mind; she knew it would more than likely not be enough, but she took comfort in the fact that she was not entirely clueless. Medicine was something she was quite drawn to, yet she chose a different path for herself, deciding that whatever she wished to know, she could learn from her brother.

Loki: He nodded. "I see... However, I do believe the casualties are greater with such healing, yes? This is rather different... Perhaps you should understand when I teach you as best as I can... I believe it is best if we begin with simple wounds. It is not so difficult with them, as there are several approaches to healing such cuts, depending on the size. I feel it is best to learn by example – that is how I learned. Unfortunately, it is also necessary to learn by experience, and considering my flesh is much more... difficult, it must be you to be wounded..." he muttered, looking up to her questioningly.

Luna: It wasn't something she did not expect, as the healing properties his skin naturally possessed would interfere with her trying to learn, as it would heal itself before she could do anything about it. "Yes, your healing and ours differs, but it's better than nothing," she shrugged. "It'll be me, indeed," she said with an indifferent shrug. She's had injuries more difficult in the past, and if they were to start very small, it would not be all too terrible or painful for her.

Loki: He nodded, glad she acquiesced. "Very good, " he replied thoughtfully. "Before we do anything, it is also necessary that you know what you are trying to accomplish. Magic, being the energy of nature of its own sort, has the healing qualities that ones such as I innately have within them... I am unsure how to explain such a phenomenon to one such as you in simple terms. However, this gives magic the natural ability to repair and mend wherever it is placed. Often, one can do so by weaving similar to what I believe you Midgardians call stitches, or even simply placing a denser mass of the energy upon the flesh... Either way, it should very well begin to repair any broken tissue it comes in contact with."

Luna: While he was speaking, she divided her attention - though keeping the most on him, still - so that she could begin summoning the energy it took. She was so very glad to notice that each time she was to beckon the energy towards herself and hold it, it grew increasingly quicker and easier. "All in all - the magical energy consists of healing properties of its own, in its very being? And so, I do not need to do anything overly special with it, but just place it over the wound with the intention to heal?" she tried to make it all clear to herself before they began. Misunderstandings were confusing and dangerous as they were, yet in such circumstances, she absolutely had to prevent them from arising.

Loki: "That is somewhat correct, my lady," he replied with a nod, his eyes looking over her hands skeptically. " It changes when it comes to internal wounds, however, but we shan't get into that." He sighed heavily as he considered what was going to happen, feeling as the energy shifted around him, her getting an eager beginning, he supposed with a small smirk. She was so very ready to learn. He could not ask for a better student to teach, he mused. He pressed his lips together as he summoned his knife into his hand, holding it out in front of the both of them. "Do you wish to do it, or shall I?" he muttered.

Luna: She would feel quite odd in either case, as she's never injured herself before, yet letting him do it was... She was reluctant at calling it risky, but it was the most prominent word in her mind. Nevertheless, she took the knife from him, feeling as if she had three hands - one which held the knife, the other which was about to be hurt, and an invisible one which held and maintained the energy. She gave the tip of her finger a scrape with the very point of the sharp blade; it did not hurt - no more than getting blood drawn in a hospital - and it was the tiniest she could have made it, wishing to give herself as good of a chance as she could. Then, as she looked at it, she guided the energy over to the thin slit and covered one with the other, meticulously ensuring that it was covering each and every millimeter of it.

Yet that is as far as she got. She felt nothing, save for the energy in contact with her skin and the negligible pinching of the wound. Several minutes later, even though she slipped into deeper concentration, she was getting no results. "Loki," she murmured, "can you help me? I don't think what I gathered is strong enough..." she said, not knowing how, exactly, to intensify that which she held, or bend it to do as she wished. It simply lay there without doing anything. If he could add some of his power onto it and guide her to heal, perhaps such an example would prove to be conducive.

Loki: He watched her struggle for a long time, the blood from the wound slowly beginning to trickle down her finger. When she asked for his help, he only looked at her for a moment before acquiescing with a nod. He gathered what he could of the energy, scooting so that he was closer to her, attempting to feel the magic she seemed to be failed at gathering. It was not that it was strong enough, but it was simply the fact she was hardly applying it. Regardless, he placed his hand over hers, feeding her the energy he managed to concoct. "You must bind it with your flesh... Think of guiding it through the wound, aiming directly upon the cut, and therefore replacing the broken flesh together," he explained as he attempted to concentrate, even as his abdomen felt as though it was beginning to split once more.

Luna: Nodding in acknowledgement and agreement, she sensed the energy which she held grow more acute as he added onto it. However, such strength of it was not something she was accustomed to just yet, but she knew she had to do so eventually - why not now? She attempted to grab hold of that which he provided, though it put much more of a strain on her body, her heart beating more heavily as she tried to maintain it properly. Several times she noticed herself holding her breath, after which she'd release it immediately, knowing that she should not be exerting herself so much. Nevertheless, this was important... She attempted to heed his words, but to hardly any avail. Her brow was furrowed in part aggravation that she let slip through her focus, and in part the focus, itself. She tried seeing and feeling all that he so clearly told her to, but even so, she seemed to have been doing _something_ wrong, as neither the magic nor the small cut would listen.

Loki: He made a grimace as he watched her yet to be successful. He sighed, his mind beginning to work through the pain to figure out another way he could explain what she needed to accomplish, a grimace coming upon his lips. "Your energy is... is too unfocused. You are applying something much too large for a small cut. You must try to focus the magic upon the wound and the wound only, not the entirety of the finger. You are not giving it purpose, you are expecting it to do most of the work," he explained quietly, as he came nearer to her, his frown deepening as the sharp pain began to grow.

Luna: Once more came a nod from her as a response, though this time followed by a mutter, as she knew that his pain was greater than hers: "You don't have to hold it anymore, I got it..." she said, trying with all her might to keep what she conjured and what he gave her as one. It was growing more tedious, but if she let go of it now, she would have to go through the entire process of acquiring it again, it would be even more difficult, perhaps. No, she would do it. She knew she would. Her eyes narrowed, though she tried to expel all such negativity from herself, if only to concentrate better. She directed the energy to the cut and the cut alone, wishing to let the magic know what she was attempting to use it for, willing to evoke such quality of it that would help her in her goal... She willed the cut to close itself up, to vanish, to be consumed by the magic which would weave the unseen, minuscule tissue together into something whole once more.

A long while later, after such work that she felt would crumble her, she widened her eyes as she finally witnessed the red line begin to sew shut, slowly, but surely leaving smooth skin behind, and no trace to indicate there was ever an injury there to begin with - save for, perhaps, the small smudge of blood. She hunched over from the effort. However, before it could close entirely, it ceased about halfway through, and no matter how much she kept pushing it forwards, it would simply not close the rest of it., much to her dismay and irritation. Why would it stop just like that? She did nothing different.

Loki: He watched with slight relief as the skin begin to close, but not quite enough. "You must continue to keep the full concentration. Do not get ahead of yourself and begin to lose focus as you just did," he explained. "You excited yourself before you finished," he said with a small smirk, as she was so very similar to him in learning such a thing, it was entirely comical.

Luna: With a displeased noise, she allowed the magic to return to where it may, and with such an action, she laid back onto the pillows, her breathing heavy, and feeling as if she'd been swimming in relentless waters for hours upon hours... "Small break," she breathed out, and though she did not want to release the magic, she had to; otherwise, she would be in no shape to continue. She needed the practice, but she had to constantly remind herself of moderation, so that she wouldn't burn herself out. "The rest of the cut's not going anywhere," she added. It could wait for several moments while she rested.

Loki: He sighed. "It shall if you do not rush it. Perhaps you are simply too worn for the moment, yes..." he explained with a nod. "I know you are frustrated, dear, but not everything shall come so naturally." He was almost glad - he hoped she would not begin to have high expectations of her abilities only to have them crushed, simply because she could not manage to have everything come to her. Then she would be too much like him, and that simply... was not good.

Luna: "I know," she sighed, rubbing her brow. "I'll try again in a few minutes," she said before getting up gingerly and going to fetch some water for herself. Truly, she was parched, as if after relentless exercise... She glanced at her partly mended cut with a frown; she would finish what she started, indubitably. She knew that she ought not be pressured by anything for good results, but constantly on the back of her mind sat the fact that their time was limited, and that she only had so long to learn. If only she grasped the basics, perhaps she could continue teaching herself and merely practicing until she saw improvement.

Loki: He nodded, watching her wearily; she looked as though she was discouraged, with a slight slump in her shoulders. He frowned, knowing that there would have so be some exterior issue that would discourage her from anything she did, considering she was incredibly stubborn. She would not relent, no, but there was something pressing her to simply continue and do everything she can. "You shall grasp it, I assure you," he said without thinking much about what he said. "In time..."

Luna: She nodded and smiled at him a little wearily, retaking her place on the bed and downing the contents of the bottle. "Thank you, I'll certainly try," she left the bottle aside and looked at her finger again. She knew that she had to try her very best now, because who knew how tired she would be later on, and who knew what circumstances may arise that would prevent her from even trying again? Without a word, she began collecting the strands of energy again, meshing them together into something more substantial, guided by what Loki has shown her and told her. At least she could summon it without very much trouble, now, she thought in an attempt of encouraging herself. The moment she had it with her, the familiar blunt weight returned to her still unused body. Then, pushing back that weight to the back of her mind, trying not to let it interfere with her concentration, she set out to utilize it; she focused the energy onto the very spot that needed to be repaired, and nowhere else. She attempted to mimic that which she did several minutes ago, to redo it and to finish it. She still held in her memory how it felt, how it was supposed to be like, and according to that did she try to repeat. After a while that was a little too long for her liking - though she could hardly complain, at this point - she felt the peculiar sensation again as she watched the skin finish what it began doing. This time, however, she maintained her focus and not let any emotion in particular addle it. She had to do this right.

Loki: He watched patiently as she attempted to continue what she had started, her brow furrowed, looking as though she was much more determined from his words, and that partially gave him some sort of confidence in her. If his words helped, then they might just continue to and they may get through more lessons than he had originally thought they would accomplish. He smiled and nodded when she finished, seeing that she had managed to entirely heal it, as small as it was. "Very good," he said lightly, looking to her hand and then to her eyes. "However, you must keep working at it, my lady. After you rest, of course..."

Luna: She looked at her renewed skin with wonder and a tired, but massively satisfied smile on her face. The fatigue did nothing to lessen her sense of accomplishment and happiness, and the ever present marveling at the magic, itself. She's seen with her own eyes her own skin patch itself together, as if no harm came to it in the first place. It was something incredibly precious to her, something that will never lose her fascination and her interest. She then looked up at Loki, "I know, I know, and I will," she nodded in acquiescence. "This is... amazing," she shook her head, the smile not wavering.

Loki: He came to find the curve of her smile quite flattering upon her, brightening up the entirety of the room. He smiled in return. "I am sure," he replied lightly, knowing that this was quite possibly the first time she had ever seen such a clean healing process. He rose from his seat to grab a tissue from the bathroom, seeing that there was still a trail of blood down her finger. He handed it to her and sat back down besides her.

Luna: Somehow, she managed to neglect the blood on her hand, too overwhelmed by what she actually _did_. She took it from him with a “thank you” and proceeded to clean it up. "I think we'll need quite a bit of these during practice, hmm?" she let out a small chuckle. "But, Loki, this.. This is one of the most incredible things, to be able to _do_ something like this..." she shook her head, knowing that, to him, she most likely seemed strange with her amazement, but she could hardly help it. Such a skill would render some medical equipment useless to her, she thought.

Loki: He nodded, knowing very well how much of an improvement it would be if the entirety of her race would have such a power, but alas, mortals were called mortals for a reason. Their lives were fated to be short, to be small. If such a fate were to go unrecognized, the entirety of the nine realms would go askew, he knew. It would change, and he could not afford to be the bottom of such an event. "Yes, it is quite amazing, my lady. But you must know that this cannot be used for anything but your own personal reasons... It cannot be spread throughout your realm, as the magic cannot. If you so choose to "share" your skill, I would no longer be responsible, as that would be your choice and therefore your consequences."

Luna: She nodded in understanding. "Very well..." she said. She felt the urge to share such a thing with Zane, as she knew that he, of all people, would find it as fascinating as she did, what with his interests and his occupation. Even though she was unsure that she would show him, she knew that he would grow suspicious if he saw her get injured, yet no physical evidence to prove it, or even find it odd, the fact that she seems to never get hurt anymore. And yet, if she showed it to him, she could not claim for certain what he would expect of her to do with such an ability, which is why she decided - for the time being, at least - to not let him know. Besides, it was early for such thoughts, she reminded herself, as she had no clue as to how long Loki intended on keeping her with him. And if he would even let her go in the end, a small voice nagged; she ignored it – at this point, it was increasingly difficult to believe he would simply end her at the end. "I'll use it for my own needs," she confirmed with another nod.

Loki: He saw the calculating look behind her eyes as she paused between her words. He nodded reluctantly, but knew she did not lie when she confirmed her words. Besides, it mattered not whether Midgard would throw itself into a hole, as he would be long gone. "Very good," he replied quietly.


	35. Chapter 35

Luna: The practice resumed for a while longer - how much longer, Luna couldn't tell for certain, as she placed all of her attention to one thing and one thing alone. The daylight was still present, but it made less difference to her than it perhaps should have. In her mind, they still had some time they'd dedicate to resting, as it was something indisputably needed. The cuts grew larger and deeper with each new attempt, and yet her skin bore no trace of it - the only evidence of what transpired in the room lay in her fatigue and the blood stained tissues. She was unwilling to stop practicing, though she knew as well as he did that her body could only exert itself too much, and by the time Loki had her stop, she was on her back on the bed, feeling much too hot for comfort, courtesy of the straining. Her eyes were closed and the magic was gone from her grasp, and she lay trying to calm her breathing. This was by far the most extensive practice session she had done.

Loki: He rested when she did, after watching her try and try again to perfect the concept he had presented her. He knew this would be useful for other exterior wounds, but internal wounds would have to be learned through other sorts of training. He had never seen her work so diligently, so much that she was entirely spent with fatigue, a flush to her cheeks, and a bit of bruising under her eyes. She looked as if she had ran from where they had left and back in an hour or two. Loki looked down at her tired self as she laid back.

"Do you require anything? Water? Food?" he asked so she would not have to get up herself and fetch it, even though any other time he would have not even thought twice about making her do such a thing for himself. Since when was _he_ the servant and she the master? Such questions similar to that filled his mind often as she was practicing. Whenever she found some sort of pain from overexertion, he had a need to help her, to aid her in any way, but not without the bickering in the back of his mind that reminded him who he was, why he was there, who she was... And all the same, he forced such thoughts to the back of his mind, assuring himself he knew his place and he knew hers. And none of that would change with a simple fact that he desired to help her as much as he could. She helped him more than enough.

Luna: She was grateful that she had a comfortable bed to rest upon after such a work out, and somebody to help her with it all. She watched him with a smile that exuded such gratitude, a softness to her gaze beyond the exhaustion. "Water, please?" It was quite peculiar, the fact that wielding such energy left her more thirsty than hungry... It was as if it satisfied certain parts of her and left no need for such things, though she knew that she'd have to eat at some point, hungry or not, as her body needed such support. She did not care very much if she appeared weak momentarily, as that was what she was, without a doubt - especially after what she spent at least an hour doing.

Loki: He nodded and then rose to go to her bags, knowing very well that there would quite possibly be a filled water bottle ready for her, as there always seemed to be. He took one and then handed it to her, resuming his usual place. "You have worked very hard..." he commented lowly, "It is almost admirable how very persistent you are. It can be a blessing and a curse, no?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Luna: "As long as it is worth it," she noted, sitting halfway up and propping herself up on one elbow to drink, after which she heaved herself up further, in order to be in a more reclined position - rather than laying down. "I’d say that it is so in this case."

Loki: He nodded, knowing very well just how worth it magic was. How much joy he extracted from simply accomplishing feats, but then again how much pain he brought himself simply because he took things a step too far. Thor never understood why he persisted, but then again Loki never understood why Thor would continue training even though he knew he was already very skilled in his own art. "Indeed, yes," he replied quietly.

Luna: "Well, I don't think I'll be moving from this position for a while - say, forever - so good luck to you on the rest of your journey," she chuckled, truly feeling as though she might never move again. The prospect of walking or simply going to their next destination made her all the more reluctant.

Loki: He smirked despite the fact he would never allow that to happen. "I think not," he replied with a short chuckle, "You are to rest as much as you possibly can, and then we shall continue," he stated knowingly, giving her no other choice in such a matter, jokingly or not.

Luna: "Oh, come now, Loki, of course I wouldn't.." she lingered off, her smile gaining a wry shade, choosing not to finish what she started, "It was a simple joke, no more," she assured him, toying with the ends of her hair. He should know by now that getting away from him was no easy task whatsoever. As far as she was concerned, there was no need for him to behave so defensively, when she would not go against him...

Loki: He nodded, knowing very well she wouldn't, whether she thought she could or not. "Yes, of course," he replied reluctantly, with a small smirk playing about his lips. "I know what is jest and what is not," he added, his smirk disappearing into a frown at the fact that she believed he did not distinguish. He shrugged it off, knowing that it was very much so inconsequential.

Luna: "I know you do," she nodded and finished yet another water bottle. She'd have to replenish many things, other than her energy, she knew. She got distracted once more, the moment she glanced at her hands, seeing quite clearly in her mind's eye where the cuts were, but the fact that there was nothing there anymore, that such things disappeared-- well, she could not truly say they disappeared easily, as she worked on it to her strength's limits, but with time, it would become easier, certainly. "How did you learn to heal?" she asked.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes, attempting to decide whether she truly meant such a comment or she was simply trying let it pass. He let it pass just the same, knowing very well that he should not linger or try another argument. "My... adoptive mother's close friend Eir offered to teach me when I was... not too much younger than I am now. She gave me books and the like to help me improve my knowledge of anatomy and whatnot. I started out as you are now, however, periodically with patients that came into her healing rooms. It took me quite a long time to entirely master it, though such skills were used only selfishly," he explained.

Luna: "She let you heal her patients as practice?" she asked, furrowing her brows, "You said that the healing properties of magic, if used wrongly, can affect the body negatively, and she gave you her patients to work on? That doesn't sound much too safe, although..." she lingered off with a small sigh, "... I suppose that there was very little risk, seeing as how you were probably more than good at it by then. Still, there could have been other, safer ways." She shrugged.

Loki: He furrowed his brow. "She was by my side to guide me, and if anything went wrong, which it didn't, she would have fixed my mistakes and healed what would have went wrong. There were some cases I could not heal unless I had just as much experience as her...” he explained. "You should have more faith in me, even so," he added, with a broken grin.

Luna: "I do, and so does Eir, from what I can gather," she returned the odd smile, "Besides, I know bits and pieces of what you're like when magic is concerned, I know that you were more than prepared." She wondered, however, how he would most likely focus on improving his own skill, rather than the person's health, that he considered it all as just practice. For his own sake.

Loki: He smirked, looking down to his hands. "I suppose that is good to know, then," he replied with a small laugh. "Eir was very strict with such things. She allowed me to learn at her pace rather than mine... Which was obviously not very compliant with my wishes, but I had to make do if I was to learn anything..." He mused with a shake of his head. It was one of the reasons why he never accepted help from a teacher until only he felt it absolutely necessary.

Luna: She chuckled lightly. "Better that than nothing, hmm? Eir is in our Eddas, as well, though not very much is written or known of her. But it does correspond to how you speak of her - as a healer."

Loki: "So I have heard, yes," he replied with a curt nod, "I suppose she is one to keep to herself, as your 'Eddas' are based upon the stories Asgardians shared with your kind," he explained.

Luna: "Not all truthful, though," she said, recalling what she knew, as opposed to what he told her so far. As far as she was concerned, a story was a story, and if it was a good one and one she enjoyed, the truth could simply be of very little importance.

Loki: "Ah, no," he replied with a nod and a sigh. The stories of him were less than flattering, other than the fact he allegedly had seduced all of the women in Asgard, which he would very much enjoy. "Which would, perhaps, be why it was dismissed eventually as stories and not fact. Even though all stories are based upon some sort of fact, no matter how small it may be."

Luna: "Oh, I do agree with that," she nodded, emphasizing her words. She hummed quietly as a thought occurred. "On Midgard, sometimes parents read or tell stories to their children before they fall asleep. Is that something the Aesir do with their own children, as well, or is it just us?"

Loki: "No, we had stories as well... of battles, monsters, and even fantastical stories based upon the histories of the nine realms. My mother was always quite elaborate when it came to such things," he replied, but not with any sort of amusement, knowing that among those stories were ones of frost giants of how they came to be known as the beasts they were. He pressed his lips together at such a thought.

Luna: He did not particularly like her question, giving an answer scarce enough to suit himself and good enough to satisfy her. She was glad that he would do as much, as he could have very easily refused to speak on the subject. Then again, his answer could be as truthful as the stories, themselves. "Ah, so not much different from ours, then. I guess the difference would be that many creatures that we've told stories of are existent only in the stories, themselves. Though, there are nine worlds and creatures beyond this Earth... I wouldn't know, unfortunately."

Loki: He nodded. "Indeed," he replied quietly, "Some creatures within such stories, according to what I have done as research, do, in fact, exist, but perhaps by another name... same concept, however. As I have said, fiction is based upon fact..." he said, drifting off thoughtfully.

Luna: Her chuckle was brief and rather sad. "I would love to..." she stopped with a shake of her head. "No matter. It can't happen, and I'm not going to dwell on it. I'll just… bother you once in a while to tell me more." She turned her wistful smile and gaze to his.

Loki: He looked back at her, seeing that she was ultimately disappointed with the fact that she would never see such creatures of her fantasies, any other being but the beings that inhabit Midgard. He gave a small smile in return. "Gladly I shall, dear... If you so wish it," he replied. He shifted so that he was leaning a bit further away from her, his lips pulling down into a small frown, knowing very well he did not wish to be alone, that he would take her with him if the means were safer, and if he was any other sort of being in the nine realms, if the risk was not so present. He would not stand by and have more unintentional blood on his hands, especially not hers.

Luna: Her smile brightened as his response, but diminished once more as he frowned. She sat up with an inevitable, yet small grunt with the effort it took, and fixed her gaze more intently on him. "What's wrong, dear?" she asked gently.

Loki: He almost tensed at the way she called him "dear," about to denounce such a name. He called her such a name often without thinking twice upon it, but he just noticed she did so, as well. It was gentle, coming from the mouth of a female. It was caring. "I am merely... thinking of what shall come after I leave, my lady... Nothing more," he lied easily.

Luna: She leaned in ever so slightly, a concerned frown lining her brow. "You don't look like you think it'll be any good," she pressed on tentatively.

Loki: He frowned slightly. "It is better than death, I do suppose," he replied with a shrug, "as you said before." He pressed his lips together, and sat back onto the bed, knowing very well he should not go much further into that, as it would sound very pathetic indeed. For him to go into this escape, believing he would much rather be alone to the universe only to find out through a petty mortal woman that it was the last thing he wanted.

Luna: "It is, yes," she said. "You can go to very many places, do some of what you please. No torture, no death, no pain save for the one you'd inadvertently create, yourself..." her voice lowered as she spoke. He seemed quite intent on certain things and could not - or perhaps would not - switch the focus from them to other, more important things. "Which I hope you will not do often..."

 

Loki: "Yes, of course," he agreed briskly, his lips pressed together in a way to suppress what he truly wished to say, but alas, it was useless. He did not need her company, he knew, even though he wished for it... the gentleness of her ways, the way she provided such endearing warmth. "However, I shall create such 'pain' as you call it as I see fit - if you mean the pain caused by magic..."

Luna: She shook her head. "That is not what I mean, Loki," she said even more quietly, though he did have a point, as far as magic was concerned. She was worried, however, and quite careful. She did not know how he'd react if she attempted to provide him with any sort of comfort. His reactions will forever continue to be unpredictable. And so, she kept her distance, still; she did not want him to forget what she said - she cannot understand him, not entirely. While he could grant her some understanding, he did not at all seem willing to do such a thing, and she supposed that very few good things ever came from pressuring Loki.

Loki: He frowned. "Whatever _do_ you mean, dear?" he asked, his brow furrowing with slight confusion at her expression, his hands curling into tight fists at his sides in slight irritation. "Why should I have any reason to intentionally create pain for myself? As if I have not been through enough..." he pressed, attempting to simply push it out of his mind, but he simply could not, not now...

Luna: "Aren't you doing so just now?" she scooted closer to him as her eyes landed upon the fists which he curled, yet not even the fists were what she meant. She placed both her hands on one of his, at first with very light touches until he got used to it - of course, that is under the assumption that he would let himself get used to it, and not pull away. How odd it was, the fact that he let wrong things happen... He let such troublesome thoughts into his mind, and yet, things that could potentially be of aid, he did not allow for.

Loki: He slowly pulled away, stubbornly, placing them away from her at the same time unfurling his fists so she would not attempt to do so again. "I am merely considering every possibility at any time. That is simply what becomes of one's mind when they do not only live a few decades..."

Luna: She kept her eyes on his hands for several more moments, seeing that she accomplished what she wanted to do, if not in the manner she intended to. "And that is understandable. However, I'm talking about you thinking about what was, not what will or could be," she said carefully, though she had half a mind to close her lips, and soon.

Loki: He clenched his jaw as she spoke. "There is nothing that will or could be. I haven't a realm to reside upon, I haven't a race to call my own. I haven't much else. How can I not linger upon what was, hmm? Tell me, what good is there for one who simply cannot decide what they are?" He gave a small, considerably mad laugh at the ridiculous concept, his lips curling into an odd smirk, finding the entirety of this situation pathetic in itself. He shook his head. "You are so very naive... So very small-minded..."

Luna: She was not angry with him, no; she was getting exasperated at his lack of will. "You call me small-minded, yet you're the one who doesn't even want to believe that it can be another way," she shook her head, her gaze even more so intent on his own, even though he looked away now and again. "Either way, it doesn't matter," she discarded his frequent accusations of her, "Why decide upon what you are when you can be what you want to be? Why should you limit yourself so? To just one thing?" she sighed before continuing. "You are Loki, it doesn't matter where you come from, because that does not determine _you_. Especially because, if you so chose, you could be of anywhere. I _know_ you can. You're horribly strong and intelligent, not to mention innumerable other things - and you are going to sit here and tell me that you're not capable?" she asked incredulously, firmness backing up her voice.

Loki: He frowned as he listened to her, his gaze wandering everywhere but to her - to the ceiling, window, opposite bed, his hand, even though he felt her gaze directly upon him. "I do not need such words from you," he muttered, turning away from her, frustrated that he would even lead himself to be in such a position that _she_ was trying to reassure _him_ of what or who he was. "You do not understand," he pressed, knowing very well there was more than her simple answers, "nor could you ever understand... I am not saying I am not capable, as I very well am. Consider your own situation: I have forcibly removed you from what normalcy you could have possibly had, forced you to travel with me - me, a stranger, an alien to your world – no telling what shall happen, nor what shall become of either of us. Do not tell me there was any sort of comfort in a situation as that, as I very well knew there wasn't. Not for you, at least. Now consider mine and tell me that there is some sort of comfort in my being in stranger realms. And then coexisting with those, scattered throughout Yggdrasil, who would sooner have my head than consider my situation after I had servants, pathetic beings who catered to my every whim, after I lived with the highest beings in the nine realms, convinced I _was_ like them... Tell those seeking to have my head that it did not matter where I come from, and tell those who are most likely hunting me down after my failure that I can determine my fate..." He shook his head, looking at her with a narrow, firm gaze. "You haven't an idea, Luna. Not really. Do not try to."

Luna: She watched him as he spoke, her lips pressing tightly together, and her heart beating more heavily, feeling as if it was sliding down to her gut. She leaned back and away from him, holding her breath but not wishing to let it go, as it felt it was holding her together. Perhaps she did not have an idea, but she tried, which is more than could be said for the rest. And perhaps, she should not do so. Why should she harbor any compassion or desire to help a man who, as he said - removed her from what she knew and tossed her into circumstances unpredictable at best? No, she should keep her distance, despite his shows of affection and signs that he was capable... He could be helped, except that she hadn't a single idea how. As he said. He did not need such words from her.

Loki: He sighed as she retained her silence, not surprisingly. He stood from the bed and walked over to the other bed, sitting on the side of it that faced away from her. So that would be the end of their conversation for now, he guessed, as she quite possibly did not have any words to say. He pressed his lips together and laid down, facing the ceiling. It was for the better that he did not gain any affection from her, no matter how kind or gentle she was to him, no matter how attractive she was, or how much hope she attempted to grant him, or what she was beginning to mean to him. There would be no amount of her that he should want and it should remain that way.

Luna: From her peripheral vision she saw him move, but she kept her gaze averted. She hated this. Things have been going so, so very well, and now... She just _had_ to trigger what would damage what little peace they established together. Why couldn't she have just kept her mouth shut and spared them both this? She chided herself continuously for several minuets before she realized that she needed a distraction. From him, from her thoughts, from the situation. She was unsure of whether to employ magic as one such distraction, as it would wear her out more than she wanted to, and there was quite a chance for it to weaken and hinder her. And that would make things even worse between them, as they'd both be upset with her for being irresponsible and inconsiderate of… of what, his well being? This entire thing was about him, after all. She sighed and rubbed her temples with her thumb and middle finger, closing her eyes warily. A part of her wished to go over to his bed and apologize for causing the entire mess - yet again - it would not be the first time she apologized purely to have the tension removed. As long as it fixed things... But the rejection was far too great a possibility. She would not dare. Not yet.

Loki: He did not look at her again, hearing only sighs and seeing only small movements from her side of the room. This was very much the reason he could not spend time with her. They would disagree, and she would get hurt and only be forced to continue being with him with no way out.

He laid on his side, his long fingers tracing along the patterns of the covers. Why would he even bother with her, he wondered... Why would he even attempt to make her understand his situation that she so narrowly looked at... He considered the thought that she could be right, that he could be anything he wished to, and he very well could, but there were things out there much more powerful than him who could sniff him out, who could hunt him down and make sure he regretted every part of his life... What was there to do but wither in the memories of the past? His future was not looking very promising, no matter which way she was pointing. He could have simply humored her, though... She, who saw a positive aspect to everything, it seemed, and she would not back down until he admitted there was a happy ending like those silly stories she referred to. The happy ending both of them were promised by the people they called parents.

Luna: Several times was she on the verge of opening her mouth and apologizing, but each and every time, her mind would fill in the missing results - he would either keep silent, either make some sort of a sound to let her know that he heard her. Or, he would even speak with her, lie and tell her that it is alright. Or they could argue once again. No, her apology would yield nothing. And what was it even supposed to mean to him? It would not undo anything that transpired, it would not improve things, it would not return matters to their previous state - it would not matter, as it would ultimately do _nothing_.

She scooted lower on the bed and curled up, looking through the mattress of the bed, her gaze unfocused, distant. How she wished she could fall asleep now... And yet it would only be her body that would be getting some rest. At least that was something. All she knew was that things could not go on like this... Eventually, one of them would snap from the discomfort and the tension and the pressure... Most likely she, she supposed - after all, wasn't she weaker? Wasn't she much too naive and ridiculous? He shouldn't care.

She curled up further atop her sheets, closing her eyes after they got weary of staring at a single point for so long. Thoughts whirred about in her head more slowly, meshing with each other unintelligibly, and unexpectedly so, sleep took her not full five minutes later. The training she received wore her out just enough to allow for almost instant rest. How grateful she would be when she awoke, if only it did not weaken her far too much.

Loki: He continued staring upon a fixed point upon the ceiling. He looked over at her after a long while, hearing her steadily breathing. Such a change it was now, after they had slept together the night prior, both exhausted from their activities, and now they were on separate beds. He pressed his lips together, drifting off into a distant consciousness, his thoughts being the only things that kept him staring upon her back, even as the night passed and when the sun came up. He never slept, nor did he move. It was becoming a habit for him now.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience, and for staying with us. The story will continue as planned until the end.

Luna: The morning came much too soon for Luna, and even sooner came the moment when they left the peculiar little motel room in which such curious things happened.  
Before they left, she planned out a pathway for the two of them, still headed north, but through a forested area much thicker than the previous ones they’ve trodden. It was either that or the highway, she thought, with cars and other people and inevitable, prolonged pain for Loki. Any sighting of the two of them was not recommendable, and was a risk she’d rather not take.  
And so, she chose this way - it might have been longer by a hair from the other roads they might have taken, but the options were few, and safety was a must. She doubted that very many things could affect them in a forest; she had to admit that having Loki with her promised at least some safety, as he was superior in strength to any other being they might encounter on Earth. After all, it would be favorable for him, as he would not have to maintain his facade for any longer than it took them to reach it. Certainly, he might be iffy about staying for any period of time in a place as empty of comfort, but he would have to make do. If she could, he absolutely could. Neither of them had to like it, but it was very close to inevitable.  
And the silence? The silence was filled by the sounds of their footsteps and the chirping of birds, the whispers of leaves and the voices of the half bare forest.

Loki: He began to assume that any amount of friendship or relations they shared was close to being withered away as she retained her silence, surprisingly enough, throughout the following day. As the night began to descend during their silent venture through the woods, he began to foresee the fact that they would not be spending the night in any sort of civilized manner. He did not very much like the thought of having to sleep upon the forest floor, without the comforts of a bed. It was quite demeaning, but there was very little he could say about such a thing, as they did not say a word to each other in the first place.  
His frown began to build as the woods became darker and darker and there was less and less of a chance they would find any sort of buildings. He sighed heavily at the very thought, the frown almost permanent now as they walked. “Where shall we sleep?” were the first words that he uttered to her since the night prior, coming out as half-frustrated and half-curious.

Luna: She gestured to the space about them. “Wherever you see fit,” she said indifferently, knowing that their silence would be broken by one of them, at some point, and that it would have nothing to do with what got them into the silence in the first place. They would spend the night in the woods, to both of their dismay, but they had to rest, as their destination was not near enough for them to walk all the way to it. Perhaps for him it would not be a problem, but unless he intended on carrying her, she did not see how she would make it. So far, her steps were almost automatized, as she paid more attention to what she was thinking rather than her body’s innate actions. She was tired, and rightfully so, but she would hold out.

Loki: He sighed, looking about their surroundings, wishing she was not human simply so they could continue walking without rest. He pressed his lips together and nodded, though he was obviously displeased with such a thing. It was dirty, full of animal feces and other disgusting things. He then looked ahead of him, his brow pulling together as he made out an opening in the trees amid the darkness. He pointed to it, looking at her. “There,” he said simply.

He despised this very concept. Thor and his friends would often go hunting and coerce him into going with them. Normally, it would only be a day-long event but there were times they found themselves too deep within the Alfheim forest to go much further and make it back out with their catch. Thor insisted upon sleeping within the forest, and of course, his friends agreed, making Loki the only displeased one. He attempted to sleep upon the stump of a tree only to have a firegrub come across his foot, shooting poison into his veins. He woke up writhing in the pain of the poison as it began to fester, only for Thor’s fun to be cut short and call upon Heimdall, because of Sif insisting upon it, to deliver his false brother to the healing rooms. He did so with a pout, saying that if he had his way, he would make Loki wait until he had his first catch in which case Loki would most assuredly be dead. Loki glowered over such a memory, knowing that there was hardly anything upon Midgard that would harm him such as an Alfheim firegrub would, but it was still disgusting.

Luna: She looked over to where he pointed, her eyes surveying the area, seeing that it was a clearing, as opposed to the thicker trees that surrounded them; perhaps another place in the forest might be safer, but at this point, it hardly mattered, as they did not have time to wander about and find another one. It should keep them sufficiently concealed. “Alright,” she said, “but we stay at the edges of the clearing,” she pointed out, and as soon as they approached, she placed her gaze to the ground and went around the brim of the opening and then across it, this way and that, checking if everything was well enough for them to stay the night. Her eyes got long used to the dark, but still she squinted at the ground and at the trees, trying to find if there was something off with the place that would indicate that they should simply move on and find another shelter. All seemed quite calm, save for the bugs she knew were there somewhere, as she could hear the sounds of at least one kind of them. She returned to Loki, disgruntled, her eyes boring the ground, looking at all the leaves that could be concealing who knows what, and she got quite nervous. She remained standing, though she looked all about her every few seconds, reluctance in her each motion.

She never did enjoy camping or spending more time in the nature than was enjoyable. She’d gone camping several times with her family, to their urging, and though she’d shared tents with her brother, she could not help but feel quite unsafe, as anything could get in at any time. It was so very difficult for her to fall asleep under such circumstances, though she wished that she would, if only to rid herself of the jitteriness.

Loki: He watched from the corners of his eyes as she looked about the spot where she decided they remain for the rest of the night, her eyes dashing this way and that as she looked around thoroughly. He smirked as she did so, withholding a chuckle, as she did not seem to be able to relax even as he slid down to the ground, settling himself down next to one of the tree stumps, leaning against it as he watched with great amusement. She looked impeccably uncomfortable. He scoffed as she looked around herself as though something was going to leap up and bite her.

Luna: She knew that she could not keep standing for hours on end, and so, with utmost hesitation, she cleared up some area upon which she decided she would sit, ridding it of leaves and such things, knowing that she would end up usurping whatever - if anything - was underneath them, either way. She sat down and closed her eyes tightly for several seconds, cradling her bag in her arms and hoping with all her might that nothing would choose to crawl onto or into her clothing, nor into her bag. She hated the thought, and she shuddered.

Loki: Her reactions were quite comical, as he watched while she clutched her bag to her as if whatever she was frightened of was going to eat her now. Her body shook slightly to complete all of it. He could not suppress a chuckle at the very sight, and then looked away, knowing she would be angry if he mocked her, considering she had not spoken to him the entirety of the day.

Luna: “Oh, shut up,” she seethed, turning around to check the bark of the tree behind her, glad to see that it was not cracked and full of crevices in which so many things could hide in. At least the ground was dry. She leaned against the tree uncertainly, hoping that nothing would choose to descend at any point. Once again, the thought nearly had her part from the tree. She had to stop with such thoughts, she knew, otherwise she would not have a _second_ of peace. She was nervous enough, and his mockery only pushed her mood lower.

Loki: He chuckled louder when she responded, shaking his head as he watched her continue. “You have spent the past few weeks with one of the most dangerous men on your realm, and you are most frightened of a forest,” he scoffed, running a hand through his hair.

Luna: She looked at him through narrowed eyes. “It’s not the forest I’m afraid of,” she said shortly, feeling simply much too odd to say aloud what she was truly afraid of. She knew her fear was hardly rational, but she could not help it one tiny bit. Words rang in her head, what countless people have told her - the insects are small, they fear her more than she fears them (though she hardly believed that), and they are of very little danger to her, at least not one that would be difficult getting rid of. Despite having heard such things an innumerable amount of times, they did not help _at all_. It was simply how things were, how they’ve been for years, and by all chance they would continue to be so.

Loki: “Oh really?” he asked with a smirk, looking up to her narrowed, cold eyes. “Then what, pray tell, is it?” he asked with another chuckle as she continued to look about herself, her eyes dashing from one side of the forest to another. “What can _possibly_ be more frightening than sleeping with a war criminal, hmm? Enlighten me.”

Luna: It was not helping when he was phrasing it as such - it only emphasized just how ridiculous and silly it was. “Nothing,” she said and shook her head, heaving a deep sigh and holding her bag to herself, using it as a pillow to place against the knees she drew up to her chest. She would not hear the end of it if she told him.

Loki: He laughed at her reaction, “Come now, Luna,” he replied with another laugh and shake of his head, “Let’s hear it so I can vanquish it after a _glorious_ battle,” he mocked.

Luna: “If you laugh, I will force leaves down your throat until you choke,” she mumbled irritably before sighing once more. “There are far too many things in this forest which have too many legs for my comfort,” she said finally, in a rush.

Loki: He pressed his lips together to avoid making a comment of her threat, knowing very well she would not like it very much. However, he _had_ guessed that insects were her fear, the way she looked skittishly at the ground. Pathetic little Midgardian insects were hilariously tiny in comparison. She quite possibly would die of fear in any other realm. “Dearest Luna,” he began in the same tone as Thor might use before marching off to battle, repressing a chuckle, “I shall crush every single one, and send them straight into Helheim if they dare come close,” he said melodramatically.

Luna: Her laugh was in a large part a scoff, as well. “If you don’t, can I do that to you, instead?” she asked. If she truly were to encounter something which she feared, and if all he did was joke on her expense, she would simply turn around and leave, not without a considerable amount of anger for the seemingly sadistic man. “I know that they’re mostly harmless, Loki, but it’s not something I can help. And I tried. I just... can’t.” She shook her head.

Loki: He scoffed again and shook his head, despite the fact that his last comment entertained her as well to an extent. “Ah... very well...” he replied with a nod. He looked over to where she was wishing to settle down, looking through the leaves himself for any sort of movement. There was one small roach who shuffled its way through, running away until it reached another tree. He sifted through the leaves once more, continuing to search for anything he might have missed and when he found nothing he looked up to her, feigning sincerity. “See? There is nothing to fear...”

Luna: She supposed that the main reason he even did all this was so that he would not have to have a mortal scared out of her wits on his hands for any period of time. Whatever his reasons, she was grateful. “Thank you,” she said, glancing about the forest floor, herself, before exhaling slowly and trying to relieve the tension that build up in her shoulders from the strung nerves.

Loki: He smirked and nodded to her, as well, seeing that what he did at least relieved her somewhat and she would give them both peace for one part of the night. “Of course, my lady,” he replied simply before leaning back against the tree stump he resided against, folding his hands on top of his chest as he tried to relax onto the dirty forest floor.

Luna: She brought her jacket more tightly around herself. She was not particularly cold, but if she was to be still for several hours, sitting upon the ground in dry, yet crispy weather, there was a chance that the chill would sneak into her. She looked over at Loki, wondering if he ever felt the cold. She did not assume he did, as why should he? At least the silence was softened and not so taut anymore, and that was a relief in itself. Perhaps, with time, things could return at least partly to how they were during those precious hours they did not spend stressing because of each other.

Loki: He relaxed against the tree and shut his eyes, attempting to at least have some sort of rest while he could, knowing what awaited him the next day. He began to drift off, ignoring any sort of thoughts that would threaten to take his mind or any sort of look that she shot his way. Perhaps she would feel obliged to speak to him the next day...

Luna: It was some time until she unwound enough to be able to keep her eyes closed for longer than a few seconds without snapping them open, only to have them scan over the area yet again. With a sigh, she settled herself into as comfortable of a sitting position as she could, attempting to make herself believe that she was elsewhere, where she would not have creatures prowling on the edges of her fear, all too free to go within at any point. She knew she had to sleep, and the faster she did, the faster she’d wake up and they would be on their way again. Rest would do her good, whenever she managed to catch it.

Loki: He eventually drifted off into unconsciousness, that was not in the least bit peaceful.

_“Loki Odinson,” a deep, familiar voice began as a tall, bulky figure began to walk about a chamber in the darkness that was similar to an Asgardian prison cell. “You have not paid your debt,” it continued. He narrowed his eyes in the darkness as he began to attempt make out what the figure was. Red, gleaming eyes stared back, with a familiar blue-tinted skin. It was Laufey, he realized. But the voice was not Laufey’s... no, it was much deeper, much more articulate than Laufey’s was. It was the voice of his nightmares, the voice that seeped through even the moments he was most alert. It left him trembling where he stood. “You shall suffer... And Asgard shall fall... Because of you...”_

_He hissed. He began to disappear into the dank darkness, reaching out to him with a bulky, long hand that was obviously not Laufey’s. He flinched away until he saw Frigga take his place. He breathed in disbelief at the sight of his adoptive mother, nearly falling over in order to embrace her, but when he did, he felt a warm wetness upon his hand. He pulled away, and looked down to it, seeing that it was blood, and she was falling over into him. He gasped as she fell over. “You must wake up now,” his mother said into his ear, “Protect the girl--”_

His eyes shot open, his body tensing suddenly at his consciousness. It was just in time to hear a crunching of leaves in the distance that was more forceful than the trees blowing in the wind.


	37. Chapter 37

Luna: With her head on her knees and her arms wound around her stomach, Luna slept rather uncomfortably, though she found a balance on her legs which would not have her head drop to one side or the other. She slept deeply enough to not notice Loki’s sudden awakening, nor the noises that had long ago faded into background the deeper into sleep she slipped.

Loki: He narrowed his eyes through the darkness of the night, attempting to find what was causing the noise, what his mother could possibly be warning him about. He heard a third set of breathing that was not his or hers, but a deeper one. There was a creature out there, he knew, as he could hear it and the grunts it made as it walked through the crunching leaves. He turned to Luna, seeing that she was asleep in quite an odd position. He nudged her gently. “Luna... Luna, you must wake now...” he insisted softly, only loud enough for her to hear. Hopefully, if they made little noise, they could get away from it without confronting it.

Luna: The moment he touched her, however, her eyes flitted open and found his. Her heart raced from the sudden awakening of her own, further pushed by the urgency in his tone. She lifted her head from her knees and looked about themselves. “What’s going on?” she asked in a hoarse whisper, trying to snap out of her sleepiness and focus on whatever was happening that perturbed him enough to wake her up. It shouldn’t have been S.H.I.E.L.D, as she saw and heard nothing that sounded like them, yet she did hear a noise which she thought might be what Loki was alluding to.

Loki: He shushed her, pressing his finger to his lips, pointing to the direction the shadow of the creature. “I believe there is what is called a bear nearby, dear... Do not panic, but if we move quietly enough we may be able to get away before it wishes to confront us,” he said as he rose slowly to his feet, helping her up.

Luna: She gratefully accepted the help, though her head twisted in the direction which he gestured towards, indeed seeing a dark silhouette of a large, bulky shape blundering about in the darkness not too far away. Strangely so, she did not panic... She merely glared at the ground as she maneuvered the softest, slowest steps she could, avoiding each and every little thing that threatened to give away their presence. It was not an easy task, she realized as she stopped mid-stride, as the ground was covered in such dry leaves that would not only shuffle about and make noise if stirred by the lightest of breezes, they would also crackle beneath their feet.

Loki: He tensed when he saw what was holding her back. They were surrounded by dry leaves, twigs, and every possible other thing that could have made noise within a forest. He considered the thought of picking her up so he might be the only one to make noise and maybe simply find their way up into a tree, but it seemed like it was too late anyway. When he looked into the direction of the bear once more, the large furry head was turned in their direction, looking at them. He pressed his lips together, holding an arm about her waist to make sure she did not move any further. “It’s too late,” he said into her ear, “it sees us. We must remain still until it figures out what it wants from us...” he murmured, holding her somewhat behind him.

Luna: She nodded silently, her mind - so suddenly and urgently snapped out of sleep - trying to think of whether or not there was something in her bag that could have drawn the bear to them, or if it was simply walking by. The thought was followed by another - if she did have something in her bag, perhaps she could throw it away as a distraction for the bear while they made a run for it. She tilted her head up and leaned closer so that she could be as quiet as possible when she whispered: “Do not attack it unless it attacks first,” she feared saying any more, lest even such a low sound drew attention. All she wanted was for it to go around them, leave things as they were; despite the danger the animal potentially presented, she did not want there to be any sort of confrontation or injury to anyone.

Loki: He nodded, knowing better than to do such a thing, but he said nothing and continued to watch it carefully. To the right of it, further into the other side of the clearing, by the trees, there was a second bear, much smaller. His stomach dropped, knowing they must have imposed on a lair, posing a threat to a mother’s child. He swallowed, continuing to pull her further behind him. “It’s a mother... and there,” he pointed slowly in the direction of the smaller bear, “is its cub...”

Luna: She held her breath, convinced at this point that the bear would hear absolutely anything, and she stood almost stiffly behind Loki, her eyes flitting from one animal to the other. Perhaps, if they remained silent and immobile for a while, it would cease considering them a threat and would leave. That thought, however, failed as the bear let out a brief, hoarse grunt and padded its front paws on the ground, though it still made no move towards the two of them.

Loki: He tried to consider what it would do, what he should do to protect her. He tensed as he thought, knowing she couldn’t get harmed, he absolutely would not allow for such a thing to happen. The bear moved and he swallowed a breath, heeding Luna’s words. The animal grunted again, taking a few more steps forward as he backed her into the trees, furthest away from the bear, knowing trees would hinder it from barging straight at her before he could distract it and force it to go elsewhere.

Luna: With slow steps and a quick heartbeat, she backed away further, taking partial cover behind the trees, her eyes dead set on the bear and its each and every movement. Another grunt later, the bear rose up on its hind legs, only to thud heavily against the ground with its front paws yet again – and without further warning, it charged towards the two of them. A rational part of her mind knew that she’d be hard pressed to outrun a bear, and yet, that was all she wanted to do. Nevertheless, the only movements she made were ones aimed backwards, her eyes widening as the creature reached them in but a few long steps.

Loki: He stood his ground, making himself look as threatening as possible, poised to attack. It was heading towards her, and he guessed it was the backpack that threw the bear off, but he knew he had to get it away. He summoned one of his knives knowing that the pain might distract the creature if only but a moment as he’d try and scare it off. He gave a guttural growl to the bear, so as to let it know he, himself, was a threat. The bear lifted itself onto its hind legs once more, being a good few feet taller than he, and swung at the both of them with its paws. He swung at it, himself, with the knife. The ripping sound of his shirt went unnoticed when the bear’s paw came in contact with him. He hissed, continuing to have at it with his dagger, lead it away from Luna in any way possible.

Luna: She did not know what to do. She could not think of anything that she could do that wouldn’t simply worsen the situation. There could have been other bears around which she might run into, yet of what help was she here, standing around? She could not come after the bear, herself, as it would tear her. Her eyes widened more and her heart skipped a beat as she saw the bear throw itself at Loki and ruthlessly rip through his clothing as if it were sheer paper, though she calmed ever so slightly when she saw the way its attempts to mar his skin left barely any marks, if only shallow scratches. That gave her some hope, yet she still did not know what to do. They could not simply turn around and run, yet... The cub, in the meantime, groaned loudly and added to the entire mess of the situation.

Loki: He continued trying to throw swings at the bear, his knife finding its way into it, but not seeming to hinder it. Eventually the bear fell back onto its front paws, backing away with a few growls every time Loki made contact with it, a forceful blow to its torso or the head. The bear huffed and ceased lurching itself at him, and Loki relaxed slightly, hoping that this would be the end of it all, simply by scaring it off. He was unsure his shirt could take much more of its paws, anyway. Loki stood his ground even when the bear retreated far enough away.

Luna: Relief beginning to flood, she watched the bear back away from Loki as much as she backed away from it. The bear released protesting sounds, still, so very intent on protecting its little cub, yet it seemed to be retreating now. She kept her eyes on it, seeing clearly the places in which Loki reciprocated with the attack, and it deepened her frown. Then, she lessened the distance and approached Loki, touching his arm gently, her eyes flitting about his torso, attempting to see what damage - if any - the bear did to him. However, her movement seemed to bring the bears attention back, as if it only now realized that she was still present. More quickly than she could have expected, it returned once more, ramming straight into the man as if to push him out of the way, then flaying a paw in Luna’s direction. She, in turn, ran for it, in order to get out of reach. The mother bear’s second attempt partly struck true, only managing to sweep across her arm as she threw herself out of its way. She cried out as the burning pain suddenly seared; the adrenaline coursing through her kept most of the pain at bay, pain that she will be much more aware of afterwards - if the creature did not end her there.

Loki: He did not feel the impact as much as she would have, so he easily got up, wiping himself off, only to see that the bear was, in her efforts to get away, attacking her. He ran straight into the bear as he saw it swipe at her, getting her arm in the process. “Luna, go back into the trees,” he demanded loudly as he threw his arm once more against the bear’s torso, continuing to try and scare it off, if not, eventually, kill it. He continued swinging himself mercilessly into it, trying to find a weak spot. Eventually, his knife found the bear’s paw, and he dug into it, hearing the bear give a loud groan before falling onto its feet once more. Loki pulled his knife from it, wiping it onto his already bloodied and damaged clothes and he fell back, watching as the bear turned from him and began limping its way back into the woods. Hardly injured himself, he worked his way quickly to where Luna was, kneeling down before her to get a good look at any sort of injury. “It’s gone now,” he murmured as he took hold of her arm. The cuts were deep... He knew he had no such energy to heal it entirely himself. “You must help me,” he said gently, trying to calm her down, even if it was just with his actions.

Luna: Her eyes jumped almost frantically from Loki to the bear, which seemed to be retreating now for good. Its groans were filled with pain from Loki’s blows and his knife, but the sounds grew more and more distant as it stumbled further away, followed quickly by its scuffling child. She sat with her jaw clenched tightly, breathing heavily through her nose as the pain bit harshly, increasing, quivering. Loki was almost equally as bloody, though more so from the bear than from his own injuries - which were, she noticed through the pain, existent, though not entirely bad. She feared that if she opened her mouth, such pained sounds would escape her... No, she kept her mouth tightly shut. She was but grateful that the bear did not deliver a full blow to her arm, as it might have very easily broken it and done infinitely more damage. She gave a nod to him, gazing down at her torn skin and the blood which slid lower. She was very glad, at that moment, that such sights did not affect her. With heavy effort that she hoped would not be in vain, she blindly sought the magic around herself, gathering all that she could, knowing she would need so much more for this... She felt her body strain and her exhale mingled with a groan as her wounds pulsated even more roughly as she tried so, so very hard with what she had.

Loki: He summoned his own energy, knowing it was hardly enough to heal her entirely, but just enough that, combined with hers, it would work to heal. He directed it to her wounds as he felt the air around them beginning to shift. He sighed, beginning to feel his own pain radiate through his abdomen as he was channeling the most magic he had since he began trying for it. He wished he could somehow manage her pain for her. “Luna, breathe,” he murmured as he continued trying to direct the magic to her wound, weaving over it.

Luna: She nodded frantically, though her breathing was just about the last thing on her mind. Nevertheless, she made herself exhale and inhale, though it came choppy and mingled with various pain-filled noises. Perhaps it would have been better if she held her breath, instead of letting it come so erratic, making her light headed. Glad that he managed to direct the energy to where it was supposed to be, she practically begged in silence for the magic to heal her, as the pain was burning so, so deeply. Her eyes were filled with tears which did not seem to spill over. A determined, stubborn scowl on her face, she willed and needed and begged and pushed, all the while feeling her own, physical energy dwindling as she slowly doubled over, even as she was sitting. Her hands were shaky as she put more and more effort into it, not knowing just what she bloody had to do to kickstart the process. She was growing quite desperate, as neither of them seemed to be able to heal her quite so efficiently. She licked her lips and swallowed, her throat as dry as if she had eaten sand. Minutes passed, filled with her increasingly tired and pained grunts, as she remembered just what she had to do, attempting to do it.

Loki: He could see the admirable determination fill her eyes. He smiled slightly at it. He managed to summon more magic as he let out a gasp, feeling the stinging pain of his abdomen radiate through him. But she had to be healed, he knew, he had to continue trying, no matter how much it hurt, no matter how much he moaned from the sheer pain of it all. He continued trying to wield it, but to no avail. He silently prayed that she might be able to take care of it herself by some miracle, if the Fates were kind, or perhaps if the Allfather saw him trying to help the little mortal girl out of the sheer kindness, he would somehow lift the curse. Neither of those seemed possible. He murmured encouraging words to her even if they came out as grunts and moans rather than true words.

Luna: She shook her head and placed her hand on his, gently pushing it away. “Don’t,” she breathed out raggedly, “No point in--” she cut off for a gasp of air, “in hurting yourself, one of--” this time a trembling moan interfered, “one of us has to be okay,” she finished finally. She was unsure how wise it was to push magic to do what she wished it to do, as it could very easily - much as it was doing now - refuse to cooperate. In a matter of minutes she was reduced to pleading with it as she guided it relentlessly and touched it upon one of the gashes that ran a certain length. Finally, when she thought she might be close to giving up - more from the exhaustion than her own will - she saw the beginning of the slit begin to close up, albeit excruciatingly slowly. A breath of relief and utter happiness escaped her as she continued patching the first wound on her arm together.

Loki: He did not relent, though he did give in to his pain and let some of the magic escape him until he finally saw her begin to heal herself, the particles of skin beginning to sew itself together. He only furrowed his brow and placed an arm about his abdomen, moaning slightly as the pain continued to drift through him even as he let go. He sighed, trying to breathe evenly, even as he continued to exude some sort of magic to help her, but not enough. She was doing well herself, he knew, and so he subsided, doubled over.

Luna: Exhaustion threatened to take her at any moment; she blinked several times, trying to keep her consciousness and her vision clear. She hardly paid attention to the fact that quite a bit of blood left her, her mind set to mending the damage that the bear inflicted. Instead of spreading the magic all along the thin length of the wound, she gathered it back into a smaller, but denser point, moving it slowly along the line of the vicious cut. It seemed to work a little faster this way, when it focused more strongly on separate parts, she noticed, and she kept it going, though her body began to sway this way and that, threatening to topple over as she was exerting herself far beyond her limits.

Loki: He couuld hardly move, himself. He sighed, seeing as how she was succeeding on her own, but overexerting herself as much as he was. How pathetic it was for neither of them to have any sort of energy to further contain the amount of magic they needed. He managed to help by ripping off a piece of the fabric from his shirt that had already been ripped by the bear, and wiping the blood that dripped about her arm off so she would have a cleaner healing process.

Luna: It took her much longer than she could have liked and endured, but the wounds disappeared, and with them, the pain slowly subsided, as well. Her breathing was tattered and her vision swam, yet several seconds after she was done painstakingly healing herself, she still clutched her magic, and she turned to Loki, seeing him in distress, as well, from his own attempts at helping her. Fortunately, his injuries were nowhere as grave and deep as hers were, yet it would take his body longer to heal itself naturally... She decided to speed up the process, and she crawled over to him on weak legs, directing the magic at the scrapes and cuts he earned. The aches of her body hit her mercilessly, yet her stubbornness was much the same.

Loki: He felt his own wounds being fed the magical energy she had, her hands hovering over the cuts the bear had left upon his pale skin. He blinked through his watery eyes, furrowing his brow, wondering as to why she was trying to bring herself into more pain and exhaustion by helping him. She was a silly mortal, he thought to himself as he pushed her hand away weakly, knowing that it was useless with her amount of stubbornness, but it was worth a try. “Luna... you must rest... I am fine,” he murmured, rolling his eyes, before crippling back over, wrapping his arms about himself from the sudden movement. “Luna... cease... You will only injure yourself.”

Luna: “So will you if you try,” she spoke hoarsely, knowing that his own injuries were at this point even easy for her to get rid of, even though every passing second took more out of her than she was willing to admit. Nevertheless, her hands drifted above each and every place she found upon his torso. Her own injuries were her own fault - if she merely stood where she was, she would not have lured the bear back. She would only have had his wounds to tend to, as she would have healed him either way - he protected her rather devoutly. It was only right.

Loki: “Luna...” he complained, continuing to push her hand away. “I will heal and recover… faster than you shall... Please... You are uselessly overexerting yourself,” he murmured, looking at her quite desperately. He _would_ eventually have his powers back to heal himself, but if she did so, he was unsure whether she would ever have such strength to lure magic to her again, having such a tender human body. He did not want to have such a mortal upon his hands, nor did he wish to see her in such a state.

Luna: “Not useless...” she murmured hardheadedly. How can it be useless? It was for his well being, for his sake. She hardly finished her thought when her eyelids fluttered shut, her hands dropped from where they were hovering above him, and she slumped forwards. The utter debilitation and exhaustion took her consciousness, and with it, the magic.

Loki: He smirked slightly, seeing that he was, indeed, correct. Despite the pain that only continued the moment he moved from his position, he picked her up from where she slumped over, carrying her over to the stump where they were laying before, leaning her up against him so her head was against the part of his torso where there was less blood and injury. He leaned his head back and simply waited for the pain to subside so he could heal whatever scratches he had obtained.


End file.
